BEIRUT: The defected Syrian General and head of the opposition Supreme Military Council has issued a stern warning to the Lebanese government to stop Hezbollah forces from entering Syria or risk bringing the Syrian war to its doorstep.

 

In a broad-ranging interview via telephone from Jordan, where he is holding talks ahead of Thursday’s “Friends of Syria” meeting, Gen. Salim Idriss lashed out at Hezbollah as religious extremists, while also claiming President Bashar Assad’s government had lied about gains in the strategic city of Qusair over the weekend.

 

“The devil’s party is attacking Syrian territory, slaughtering the Syrian people to help the criminal Bashar’s forces,” he said, referring to Hezbollah.

 

“They lied, they were not able to enter Qusair and the number of theirs killed was in the dozens,” he said of fierce battles Sunday in the city, 40 km from the Lebanese border. “Their dead are lying on the streets.”

 

Idriss said the Free Syrian Army was well armed and being reinforced, determined to defend the city.

 

“We respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and we don’t want to bring the battle to Lebanon, but our patience is running out,” he said. “We want the Lebanese president to guarantee that Hezbollah will not enter our territory.”

 

It is unclear if Idriss’ warning implies a further escalation or simply a continuation of the repeated shelling of Hermel and other Bekaa Valley areas by rebel groups over the past month.

 

“These are religious extremists with no respect for the integrity of Lebanon, who have built a state under the state,” he said of the party.

 

The general, touted by the U.S. as the best chance for unifying disparate opposition groups on the ground, also said the role of the extremist Nusra Front, labeled a terrorist organization for their links with Al-Qaeda, was exaggerated.

 

“There are no more than 5,000 fighters with Nusra,’ Idriss said, “But there is an obsession in the Western media and a sophisticated propaganda campaign that overstates their role.”

 

He said the military council did not work with Nusra, adding that efforts to unite rebel brigades under the council’s umbrella had made headway, with “around 90 percent” of rebel forces now under its command.”

 

The military council is appealing to the U.S. and other Arab backers of the opposition for more and heavier weapons to topple Assad. Concerns about the growing influence of extremists and a string of videos showing rebel human rights abuses have prompted concern among U.S. lawmakers that weapons could fall into the wrong hands.

 

“We condemn their practices which are against our law and our traditions. We are exerting efforts to educate the FSA on lawful practices and telling them not to put anyone on trial until the regime has fallen,” he said.

 

He said there was evidence Nusra was infiltrated by the regime to legitimize fears of a Sunni extremist takeover, but admitted their methods, which have included extrajudicial killings, torture and suicide attacks, had tarnished the reputation of the opposition.

 

“There are suspicions that they are not working with the revolution, but are serving the regime interests.”

 

Idriss appealed for all foreign fighters in Syria to leave, and pointed to the role of Hezbollah as “religious extremists’ and a “foreign militia” to counter the regime’s claims that the uprising was backed by foreign extremists.

 

“What is more dangerous: Hezbollah or Nusra?” he asked.

 

Idriss was doubtful the peace conference proposed by the U.S. and Russia: “The only discussion point is when and how Assad will leave and when the commanders of the criminal armed forces will be brought to trial.”

 

Referring to an interview Assad gave with an Argentinian newspaper this week in which he said he would “not stand down,” Idriss said a political solution appeared unlikely.

 

“The majority of Syrians don’t want violence, but they don’t want Assad. Unfortunately it seems the only way to unseat him is militarily.”

 

“The fighters on the ground, the martyrs, who have spilled their blood, are ready to fight for another 100 years.”