Lebanese Army Tightens Control and Arrests 90 Syrians for Illegal Entry

The Lebanese army announced last night, Saturday, July 26, the arrest of 90 Syrians after they were caught wandering inside Lebanese territories illegally and without legal documents, as part of its security campaigns to control the situation on the eastern and northern borders of the country.

An official statement issued by the army explained that the arrests were carried out with the participation of units from the Intelligence Directorate, and included multiple areas in the Western Bekaa district (Qaraoun and Khirbet Qanafar), as well as the Rashaya district (Jebel Farah, Kafr Mashki, Dahr al-Ahmar, Kawkaba, Rashaya al-Wadi), in addition to the town of Bireh in the Shouf district in central Lebanon.

This operation comes less than a month after the Lebanese army announced the arrest of 56 Syrians in different areas for the same reason, reflecting the escalating security efforts to control the file of illegal migration and irregular presence on Lebanese territories.

It is worth noting that the border between Lebanon and Syria, stretching over 375 kilometers, includes many illegal crossings, which are often used for smuggling people, goods, and even weapons.

These borders witnessed deadly tensions in late March that resulted in casualties from both sides.

This security escalation comes amid increasing political tensions between Beirut and Damascus, amidst reports of Syrian official dissatisfaction with the lack of progress in the file of Syrian detainees in Lebanese prisons.