More than 30 Arabs left Lebanon Monday to go and join the Iraqi resistance against the Anglo-American invaders, vowing to fight for "God and Iraq."

The volunteers, most of them Lebanese but also including Palestinians, two Egyptians and a Syrian, gathered at the Iraqi embassy in east Beirut where they received their passports stamped with visas, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

Before mounting the bus to Iraq via Damascus, the volunteers prayed in front of the embassy.

One of them said it was "the duty of every Muslim to engage in jihad (holy war) against invading forces."

"God is great!" and "We will sacrifice our souls and blood for you, Oh Iraq!" they chanted as the bus left.

On arrival at the Masnaa border post with Syria, a 33-year-old Lebanese father of three explained why he was leaving his family behind to risk his life in Iraq.

"I am leaving my children in the hands of Allah. They have someone to take care of them, whereas Iraqi children are under the bombs," said Nureddin Abbud as-Seyyed, a native of Akkar, a poor region in northern Lebanon.

"We will defend all Arab lands, from Baghdad to Al-Quds (Jerusalem)," he said.

Bystanders at the border post said that two earlier groups, totaling around 60 young people from the Bekaa Valley of eastern Lebanon, had made the journey to Baghdad.

"I will go on this jihad to honour God and defend Muslims against the invaders," said Zafer Rafei, 27.

None of them was armed, saying guns were to be provided in Iraq. The volunteers said they did not belong to any particular group and that they were paying their own expenses.

In Beirut, the Iraqi embassy's press attaché, Nuri Tamimi, said, "The action of these young people proves they are aware, like all the Arab people, that the whole Arab nation is targeted by the U.S.-British aggression, not just Iraq."

Iraqi General Hazem al-Rawi said more than 4,000 of the volunteers were ready to sacrifice their souls for Islam and Iraq.

Qatar's Al-Jazeera satellite television on Sunday, March 30, showed a group of Syrian volunteers who already arrived in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.

For its part, the Palestinian resistance movement Islamic Jihad said also Sunday it had sent a first batch of would-be martyrs to Baghdad to fight the U.S. and British invading forces.

Meanwhile, the head of the mainstream Palestinian faction Fatah in Lebanon urged the Syrian and Lebanese presidents to allow Palestinian refugees in Lebanon wanting to take part in the war in Iraq to cross their borders.

"Palestinians consider that the fight of the Iraqi people is like that of their brothers against the Zionist occupation. We are united against all invaders," Sultan Abu al-Aynain told a crowd in south Lebanon's Rashidiyeh camp.

Algerians Willing To 'Die As Martyrs'

Some 15 young Algerians gathered Monday outside the Iraq embassy, proclaiming themselves ready to die as martyrs to defend the "honour and dignity of Arabs and Muslims" as the "enemies of humanity" wage war on Iraq.

"I don't know the first thing about using weapons, but I learn quickly," said Ali, a 20-year-old university student.

Next to him, a self-assured Samir said: "I know how to use a Kalashnikov and an RPG (rocket-propelled grenade). I did my military service."

They and a small group of youths from throughout Algeria had gathered outside Baghdad's embassy in Algiers to show their willingness to defend Iraq against "Bush and Blair, enemies of humanity."

Inside the embassy, press officer Shaker al-Falahi was giving an interview to German television.

With a large exuberant smile, he welcomed the latest group of youths hoping to die for his embattled country.

"There are a lot of Algerian volunteers, we are very happy," he said, but refused to pinpoint the number of willing defenders of Islam.

Sea of Pakistani Tribesmen To Join Jihad

Meanwhile, thousands of Pakistani tribesmen are standing by to fight U.S. and British occupation forces in Iraq, leaders from the country's north-western tribal region said Tuesday.

"Government should make arrangements for 10,000 volunteers of this area to take part in jihad against U.S. invading forces in Iraq," Maulana Mohammad Zaman, a religious leader of the Skhakot tribal region bordering Afghanistan, told AFP.

The volunteers' program was unveiled as demonstrations continued in various cities of Pakistan against the U.S.-British invasion of the oil-rich Muslim country.

Pakistan's foreign office has said the government would not help volunteers travel to Iraq, but similar demands were made at two other rallies in the semi-autonomous region.

Bangladeshis Yearning to Fight U.S.

A Bangladeshi schoolteacher writes the names of volunteers

He said he did not know if he would go to the Gulf, as he was in his 50s, but as well as members of his council there were many young Bangladeshis who have told him they want to join the war to save Iraq from "aggression."