A Syrian officer was also killed in a revenge attack.

Soon, a Syrian officer and four soldiers appear.

Western diplomats said that embassies had received reports of Syrian military officers wandering around the country.

At 10.30 precisely, the Syrian officer stood up, studied a large map of Beirut and walked into an open street to the right.

Individual Syrian officers make as much as $30,000 a year from the trade.

He replaced his baton on the table, and sat down, once more between the two Syrian officers.

Syrian officers said that their forces alone had lost 460 troops in the fighting on Saturday.

The report could not be verified independently, and Syrian officers here were not available for comment.

Syrian officers may have shot some of their fleeing soldiers.

The bomb exploded not far from a hotel that serves as headquarters for Syrian officers.