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| Hezbollah leader Nasrallah vows victory in Syria | Hezbollah leader Nasrallah vows victory in Syria |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| The leader of the Lebanese Shia militant Hezbollah movement, Hassan Nasrallah, has promised his supporters they will prevail in Syria, where they are backing President Bashar al-Assad. | |
| "This battle is ours... and I promise you victory," he said. | |
| Syrian rebels in the besieged town of Qusair say they are under heavy bombardment from Hezbollah combatants. | Syrian rebels in the besieged town of Qusair say they are under heavy bombardment from Hezbollah combatants. |
| The town is close to the Lebanese border, a conduit for both the government and rebels to get weapons. | The town is close to the Lebanese border, a conduit for both the government and rebels to get weapons. |
| In a televised speech from an undisclosed location, Mr Hasrallah said if Sunni Islamists took over in Syria, they would pose a threat to the entire Lebanese population - Shia and Sunni Muslims, as well as Christians. | In a televised speech from an undisclosed location, Mr Hasrallah said if Sunni Islamists took over in Syria, they would pose a threat to the entire Lebanese population - Shia and Sunni Muslims, as well as Christians. |
| He said his movement could never be aligned with Syrian rebels who, in his view, were supported by the United States and Israel. | He said his movement could never be aligned with Syrian rebels who, in his view, were supported by the United States and Israel. |
| Offensive intensified | |
| Dozens of Hezbollah militants are said to have been killed fighting alongside Syrian troops in Qusair since 19 May, when government forces launched an offensive to recapture the rebel-held town. | Dozens of Hezbollah militants are said to have been killed fighting alongside Syrian troops in Qusair since 19 May, when government forces launched an offensive to recapture the rebel-held town. |
| Last week, US Secretary of State John Kerry said thousands of Hezbollah fighters were contributing significantly to the violence in Syria. | Last week, US Secretary of State John Kerry said thousands of Hezbollah fighters were contributing significantly to the violence in Syria. |
| He added that Iran was actively supporting Hezbollah's involvement. | He added that Iran was actively supporting Hezbollah's involvement. |
| The week-long fighting in Qusair intensified early on Saturday, when activists reported heavy bombardments, including two ground-to-ground missiles and an air strike as well as artillery and rocket fire. | |
| They say Hezbollah fighters, who are widely reported to have played a major role in the attack on Sunday, were trying to advance again. | |
| "I've never seen a day like this since the battle started," activist Malek Ammar told Reuters news agency from the town. "It's like they're trying to destroy the city house by house." | |
| Syrian state media said the army had launched a three-pronged offensive in the north, centre and south of Qusair, and was making big advances, killing many rebel fighters. | |
| However, official media made no mention of the part played by Hezbollah. | |
| The Lebanese group is also known to have lost a number of fighters in Qusair, prompting Lebanese President Michel Suleiman to warn the Shia militia against getting "bogged down in the sands of discord". | |
| The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based activist group that monitors the conflict, said at least 22 people including 18 rebels had been killed in the latest fighting in Qusair. Dozens had been wounded, it added. |