Sharjah 24 – AFP: Israel dropped leaflets over a Lebanon border village Sunday urging residents to leave, state-run media said, but Israel's military said a brigade had taken the initiative without approval.
It was the first time Israelis had told residents of south Lebanon to evacuate in 11 months of cross-border fire between “Hezbollah” and Israel over the Gaza war.
"The Israeli enemy dropped leaflets over Wazzani calling on those in the area and its surroundings to evacuate," the official National News Agency said, referring to a southern border village.
Wazzani Mayor Ahmed al-Mohammed shared with AFP a picture of the leaflets that showed a map of the region with the areas marked for evacuation in red.
The leaflet read in Arabic: "To all residents and refugees living in the area of the camps, “Hezbollah” is firing from your region. You must immediately leave your homes and head north of the Khiam region before 04:00 pm (1300 GMT). Do not return to this area until the end of the war."
It added: "Anyone present in this area after this time will be considered a terrorist."
Wazzani is an agricultural region where Syrians are often hired to work the land.
Asked about the incident, an Israeli military spokeswoman said the leaflets had been dropped by drone in an area from which rockets had been fired into northern Israel.
"This was an initiative of the 769 Brigade, it was not approved by the Northern Command. An investigation has been opened," she added.
A cameraman collaborating with AFP saw Syrian families preparing to evacuate their makeshift tents, with young children carrying belongings in plastic bags.
Some families relocated to an area about a couple of kilometres further north, said the cameraman, who saw children and women unloading a truck filled with mattresses.
"Some of the Syrian workers are leaving the area... But as for us, we are farmers and we have livestock. We cannot leave our land," Mayor Mohammed said.
For an optimal experience, please
