Tripoli, Lebanon: Syrian troops fired rocket propelled grenades into northern Lebanon during the night, sparking panic among the local population, a security official and residents said yesterday.
The security official said heavy machinegun fire followed by shelling erupted at around 9pm from the Syrian side of the border, near the Lebanese village of Muqaybleh, prompting some residents to flee.
There were no reports of casualties.
"The Syrian troops initially fired flares and then machineguns and rocket propelled grenades," the official, who requested anonymity, said.
Residents flee
He said at least two rockets fell inside Lebanese territory. A local official in Muqaybleh said a number of fearful residents fled the village overnight.
"People were scared," he said, adding that no one was injured and no houses were hit.
Lebanese media also reported shelling near the border region of Al Qaa, located in the eastern Bekaa.
A local official in Al Qaa told AFP that machinegun fire was heard overnight across the border but that no shells fell inside Lebanese territory.
Thousands of Syrians have fled to Lebanon since a revolt against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad broke out in March last year.
Syria has mined several regions along the porous border to prevent the smuggling of weapons and infiltration of rebel fighters, activists say.
The Lebanese government, which is largely controlled by Hezbollah, an ally of Damascus, has avoided taking a stand on the crisis in Syria, fearing a spillover.
