BEIRUT: A YouTube video purporting to show Hezbollah fighters shooting to death several wounded Syrians has sparked outrage on social media sites.

 

A spokesman said Hezbollah was preparing to issue a response to the video, but it had yet to do so when The Daily Star went to press.

 

The video, which is 1 minute and 40 seconds long, shows several men dressed in camouflage fatigues and sporting yellow ribbons on their shoulders. After they pull what appear to be several severely wounded men out of a van, they shoot them to death at point blank range. Some of the fighters use foul language as they execute the men, who are dressed in civilian clothing.

 

Speaking with a Lebanese accent, their commander then scolds his fighters for their comments, reminding them that their actions are religiously sanctioned and that they are killing the men “for the sake of God.”

 

The Daily Star was unable to independently confirm the authenticity of the video.

 

Opposition sources were divided over whether the incident took place recently in rural Damascus, or immediately after the fall of the town of Qusair in Homs province in June.

 

The video has received more than 128,000 views since it was posted Tuesday.