The Lebanese Army Friday barred 11 wounded Syrian rebels from entering Lebanese territory through the southern Mount Hermon border region, demanding first the release of some servicemen held hostage by Islamist militants, security sources said.



The Observatory said the fighting in Beit Tima, a majority-Druze region, left 26 pro-government forces and 14 rebels and jihadi fighters dead.



ISIS and Nusra Front militants are holding 27 soldiers and policemen captured during the five-day fierce clashes with the Lebanese Army in the northeastern town of Arsal in early August.



The wounded, including seven members of the rebel Free Syrian Army, were stopped at 700 meters from the Army checkpoint on the Rashaya crossing between the Syrian town of Beit Jin and Lebanon's Arqoub in the Shebaa region.



An FSA source confirmed that the wounded men were not affiliated with the Nusra Front, but were in fact fighting with the FSA.



Security sources said earlier that the Syrian rebels have been stranded at the border since Friday morning after being barred by the Army from crossing into Lebanon.

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