US forces hold truckers at Iraqi-Syrian border: lawyer

DAMASCUS, Jan 10 (AFP) - US forces in Iraq have been holding up a large group of truck drivers, mostly Syrians, for several days near the border with Syria, lawyer and human rights activist Anwar Bunni said Monday.
"Some 280 Syrian drivers, 10 Lebanese and 10 Bulgarians have for the past six days been suffering from the harsh climate and a lack of food," said Bunni, who had spoken to a number of them on the telephone.
There was no immediate comment from the American military in Iraq.
The US military was not allowing them to return to Syria, leaving the drivers stranded near the Syrian border post of Al-Yaarubiya, some 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) northeast of Damascus, according to Bunni.
He said the drivers had sent an appeal for help to rejoin their families and called for the urgent intervention of Iraqi and Syrian authorities.

01/10/2005 19:34 GMT - AFP