One killed in fighting on Syria-Lebanon border

Syria’s army used artillery, mortars and automatic weapons as they clashed with the gunmen in the village of Mcherfe in the Lebanese region of Bukayaa, the source said.

The source was unable to say whether the gunmen were Lebanese or Syrians opposed to the government of President Bashar Al Assad.

A Lebanese man was killed and at least four others were wounded in the fighting, the source said.

The clashes erupted after the death on Saturday of another Lebanese man in gunfire coming from the Syria side when he was near a river separating the two countries, the source said.

A local resident said that some of the gunmen fighting the Syrian troops during the night were from the same clan as the Lebanese man whose death triggered the fighting.

Since the Syrian uprising erupted in March 2011, a number of deadly incidents have occurred along the northern and eastern borders of Lebanon, a country deeply divided between supporters and opponents of the Syrian government.

Clashes have occurred between the Syrian army and armed Syrian or Lebanese groups backing the rebellion against the government in Damascus.