Syria bombs key refugee bridge: NGO

BEIRUT - Agence France-Presse

REUTERS photo

Syrian forces on Tuesday bombed a bridge used to evacuate the wounded and refugees to Lebanon from the central flashpoint province of Homs, cutting off a key escape route, a monitoring group said.
 
"Regime forces on Tuesday bombarded a bridge near Qusayr, in Homs province, which is used by refugees and the wounded fleeing to Lebanon," Rami Abdel Rahman, of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told AFP.
 
He said the bridge was located in the village of Rableh, some three kilometers (nearly two miles) from the Lebanese border, and straddles the Orontes River.
 
Hadi Abdallah, a Syrian activist in Homs, said the bridge was used last week to transport wounded French reporter Edith Bouvier out of Homs, which has been the target of a fierce assault by regime forces.
 
"The bridge was hit by artillery shells," said Abdallah, reached by telephone from Beirut. "It can no longer be used.
 
"It was the main route used to transport the wounded," he added.