The Lebanese army announced on Thursday the arrest of three smugglers on the outskirts of the town of Aihya in the Bekaa Governorate, in eastern Lebanon, for "transporting weapons from Syria."
اضافة اعلان
The Lebanese army command stated in a statement that "as part of efforts to combat smuggling across the Lebanese-Syrian border, a patrol from the Directorate of Intelligence arrested (W.H.) in the outskirts of the town of Aihya, Marj al-Tout – Rashaya, for smuggling weapons and ammunition from inside Syria, after he was injured during an exchange of gunfire with the patrol."
Following this, "a raid operation was carried out by a military intelligence patrol, supported by an army unit, in the town, where two other citizens, (W.T.H.) and (Z.H.), were arrested, and military weapons, military gear, and a quantity of ammunition were seized," according to the statement.
The command noted that "the seized items were handed over, and investigations with the detainees have begun under the supervision of the competent judiciary. Efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining individuals involved (the number of whom was not mentioned)."
The army did not provide further details regarding the party behind the weapons smuggling to Lebanon, and no comment has been made by Syrian authorities as of 11:00 (UTC).
Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime on December 8, 2024, the new Syrian administration has been working to restore security within the country and establish control over the borders with neighboring countries, particularly Lebanon. This includes cracking down on drug traffickers and remnants of the former regime who have caused security disturbances.
This move has gained momentum in light of the security tensions witnessed along the Syrian-Lebanese border in mid-March, after the Syrian Ministry of Defense accused "Hezbollah" of kidnapping and killing three of its personnel, a claim that Hezbollah denied.
The Lebanese-Syrian border is characterized by a complex geographical overlap, consisting of mountains, valleys, and plains, often lacking clear demarcations that define the boundary between the two countries, which are connected by six land crossings stretching approximately 375 kilometers.
