Islamic militant killed in Syria

A senior military figure in the Lebanese Islamist group Hezbollah is reported to have died in Syria. Hezbollah said Ali Hussein Nassif was buried in the Bekaa valley on Monday and had been killed “performing his jihadist duty.” Rebels said Nassif and several of his men had been killed in an ambush by the Free Syrian Army. The US has accused Hezbollah of “providing training, advice, and extensive logistical support” to the Syrian government, an allegation the group has denied. Lebanese officials also believe members of Hezbollah's military wing, the Islamic Resistance, are fighting in the Syrian conflict. Listen to this report from regional correspondent Nathan Morley:

In a separate development, the UN's refugee agency said the number of Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries had reached 311,500. UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards says that many refugees and the communities hosting them are already running out of resources. “The continuing rapid growth in refugee numbers underscores the urgency of last week's revised Syria Regional Response Plan seeking $487.9 million in support of up to 710,000 Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries by the end of this year. The generosity and hospitality that's been shown by these countries makes it essential that the international community does provide as much support as possible,” he said. UNHCR says upcoming winter temperatures, expected across the region in less than ten weeks, is compounding the urgency of the situation.