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May 9, 2013 Special Dispatch No. 5297

Former Hizbullah Leader Subhi Al-Tufayli: Iran Forces Hizbullah to Participate in the Syrian War

May 9, 2013
Special Dispatch No. 5297

Following are excerpts from an interview with former Hizbullah secretary-general Subhi Al-Tufayli, which aired on Future TV on April 24, 2013:

Click here to view this clip on MEMRI TV.

Subhi Al-Tufayli: I know for a fact that the vast majority within Hizbullah strongly oppose [joining] the Syrian war. However, a resolute decision to participate [in the war] has been imposed upon them.

Interviewer: By Iran?

Subhi Al-Tufayli: Yes.

Interviewer: Even Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah opposes this?

Subhi Al-Tufayli: I don't want to name names, but I'm talking about the situation at hand. Everyone realizes how dangerous this is. First, of all, this is internal strife among Muslims, which will be devastating to all. This is the beginning of things to come. I say to the Shiites, to Hizbullah, and to the non-Shiites as well: We are heading towards a horrific war, which will destroy everything. The fatalities will be numbered by the millions.

Interviewer: Fatalities on which side?

Subhi Al-Tufayli: Muslim fatalities. Hizbullah's joining the Aflaqi Ba'thists in the killing of the Syrian people invites Muslims from all over the world to come to Syria.

[...]

Interviewer: The [Syrian] opposition attacked Hermel.

Subhi Al-Tufayli: After we entered Syrian villages and bombed them, some shells fell [in Lebanon]. I am against this. I say to the Syrian opposition that this is a crime. Yet we must make it clear that the main responsibility for what has happened lies with the Shiite leaders who joined the war in Syria. If the people of Hermel, Baalbek, the north and the south of Lebanon wish to be safe, they should stay away from the war in Syria.

[...]

With regard to going to fight in Syria, the vast majority in Hizbullah are against it.

[...]

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