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Five SLA militiamen killed in attack

MARJAYOUN (Lebanon): Hizbollah guerrillas killed five pro-Israeli militiamen on Wednesday with a bomb that exploded beside their jeep in south Lebanon, a militia source said.

The source said guerrillas raked the jeep with machinegun fire after the explosion, which occurred on the road to the village of Ain Qenya in the eastern sector of Israel's south Lebanon occupation zone.

Immediately after the attack, there was an exchange of mortar fire between Hizbollah and the Israeli-run militia, the South Lebanon Army, in which one civilian was killed and two others wounded in the village of Hasbaya inside the occupation zone, he said.

The militia security source said two SLA militiamen were wounded in a separate mortar attack on their position in Tair Harfa in the western sector of the zone.

Another security source outside the zone said mortar fire originating from inside the zone injured another civilian, seven-year-old Habib Mousa, at his house in the village of Ain Hershe.

In Beirut, Hizbollah, which is leading the fight to end Israel's 22-year presence in Lebanon, claimed responsibility for the two attacks.

The latest fighting brought to 12 the number of SLA fighters killed this year, with another 14 wounded. Two civilians have died and 27 were wounded in the same period.

Israel has lost seven dead soldiers and 19 wounded. The guerrillas have lost five dead and seven wounded. Israeli sources said there were no injuries to Israelis in the latest fighting.

Mounting casualties inflicted by Hizbollah, have spurred public calls in Israel for an immediate troop pullout, which Prime Minister Ehud Barak -- holding out hope for an Israeli-Arab peace deal to back the step -- has declared will take place by July.

Israel and Hizbollah have in the past committed themselves to not firing at or from civilian areas. But last month Israel bombed Lebanese power plants and wounded 20 civilians, while accusing Hizbollah of firing from villages, which the guerrillas deny.

Israel has threatened further attacks on Lebanese infrastructure if its soldiers come under attack. There is also fear of rocket attacks over the border if Israeli troops withdraw without reaching peace with Syria and Lebanon.

Syria, which controls policy in Lebanon, has demanded a comprehensive peace agreement that would cover both Lebanon and an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights, captured by Israel in 1967.

Israel has accused Syria of encouraging guerrilla attacks in Lebanon to put pressure for a withdrawal from the Golan. Syria praises the resistance of guerrillas but denies controlling Hizbollah.-Reuters