2 Lebanese kidnapped on Syrian border

Shots were fired across the Lebanese-Syrian border Wednesday afternoon, from the Syrian side of Nahr al-Kabir al-Janoubi, (the Great Southern River). injuring  three  Lebanese:  Darren Hassan (20 years), Saleh Hassan (18 years), and Tamer Hassan (10 years) from .Heisha town in Wadi Khaled. In a separate incident, five Syrian gunmen kidnapped  two men, Mohammed Yassin al-Morebi and Mahdi Hamdan from al-Obodya town while they were harvesting.  The two men were taken over the border to Syria. Their kidnapping iimmediately led to panic in the town whose citizens blocked  the international road between the two countries, threatening not to open it until the fate of the kidnapped  men is known. They subsequently set up a tent on the road, allowing cars to pass with difficulty. A delegation from the men's families on Tuesday night, crossed the Syrian border in search of the kidnappers who were known to them. Former minister without portfolio in the nineteen nineties,  Talal al Morebi, appealed for the release of the abducted pair, calling  for restraint and calm amongst the residents of al-Obodya adding that he was in touch with politicans and security officials to assist the  release of the kidnapped men.