Unknown assailants in Syria shot dead a Lebanese taxi driver early Friday near both countries' borders, Lebanese security officials said.

The motive behind the Wael Hammoud's killing was unclear, but it marked the first known act of violence involving a Lebanese citizen in Syria since Syrian soldiers recently began their controversial withdrawal from Lebanon.

Some residents of the man's hometown of Majdal Anjar speculated the incident may have been smuggling-related.

Hammoud was killed shortly after midnight in Syria's Failaq area, a few hundred meters (yards) from the Syrian border point of Jdeidat Yabous, which is about a 10 minute drive from Lebanon's Masnaa border post on the Beirut-Damascus road.

Many of the hundreds of thousands of Syrian workers in Lebanon have returned home amid attacks against them and anti-Syrian sentiment following the Feb. 14 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Many Lebanese blame Syria and Lebanon's pro-Damascus government for Hariri's death.

A Syrian worker was stabbed to death in Beirut few weeks ago in what was the only known fatality. Others, have been beaten up and their tents and shacks destroyed. There has also been a sharp drop in traffic between the two countries' capitals.

Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Lebanon's pro-Syrian Hezbollah guerrilla group, said recently that 20 to 30 Syrians were killed in Lebanon, but Lebanese officials dismissed his claims. Syrian officials didn't confirm the report.

The Lebanese officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Hammoud had entered Syria from Lebanon when he was shot. It was unclear if he had passengers.

Hammoud's body was taken to a Damascus hospital and Lebanese officials have contacted Syrian authorities to retrieve it.

An official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said Hammoud's Mercedes car was near the Failaq military barracks, where Syrian troops withdrawing from Lebanon have been gathering.

Syrian officials had no immediate comment.

Syria has been complying with international and Lebanese opposition demands to withdraw its troops from Lebanon. In the past weeks, Syria has removed 6,000 of its 14,000 troops that were first based in Lebanon during the early stages of its 1975-90 civil war.

Lebanese opposition groups accuse Syria of trying to delay upcoming Parliamentary elections to keep a loyal legislature in place. The opposition expects to win elections and end the pro-Damascus camp's majority there. Syria has been Lebanon's main powerbroker for nearly three decades. (Agencies)