17 Lebanese were reportedly killed Friday in an ambush by the Syrian army in the Lebanese-Syrian border, reported Voice of Lebanon Radio. The Lebanese were killed when Syrian soldiers attacked their bus which was heading from Lebanon's al-Kaa to Al-Jousseh in Syria, the source said.
One of the victims was identified as Hamza Amer.
Meanwhile, international mediator Lakhdar Brahimi, who intends to propose a truce to the Syrian government during the Muslim feast of Eid al Adha, arrived Friday in Damascus.
He was greeted at the airport by Syrian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Faisal Mekdad. The Algerian diplomat is expected to meet Saturday with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem and the Head of State Bashar al-Assad.
"Here we will have discussions with the government, political parties and civil society representatives on the situation in Syria," he told reporters at the airport.
"We'll talk about the need to reduce the current violence and if possible to stop on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, which starts next week," he added.
Brahimi, currently on a regional tour, said Thursday in Amman that the cease-fire that was proposed for the period of Eid al-Adha (26-28 October) could serve as a basis for launching a political process for finding a solution to the Syrian conflict that has lasted 20 months.
"If the cease-fire is implemented, we can build from there and make a real ceasefire and the start of a political process that could help the Syrians to solve their problems and rebuild their country," he said.
