Seventeen Lebanese people were killed on Friday in an ambush by the Syrian army at the Lebanese-Syrian border, reported Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3).

It said that the Lebanese were killed when Syrian troops ambushed their bus as it was heading from Lebanon's al-Qaa region to Syria al-Jousseh.

One of the casualties has been identified as Hamza Amer.

His body has been retrieved and returned to Lebanon, said VDL.

The fate of the remaining passengers is unknown.

The border between Lebanon and Syria has witnessed tensions since the eruption of anti-regime protests in Syria in March 2011.

Syrian troops have repeatedly infiltrated Lebanese border territories in pursuit of what it called army defectors and armed gangs.

Rockets from Syrian clashes have also landed in Lebanese territories on various occasions.