The military leader of a militant Islamist group blew himself up near a Syrian-Lebanese border crossing today, wounding two Syrian police officers, officials said.
The 28-year old Syrian man, Omar Hamra, was the military commander of al-Tawheed Wal Jihad, one of several Muslim militant organisations pursued by Syrian authorities, they said.
"He was trying to cross the border with false documents. He shot at security forces with a pistol, tried to escape and then blew himself up with an explosives belt," the government news agency SANA said.
Hours after the incident the border point was quiet and traffic was moving normally.