Army Seizes Truck Carrying 'Obsolete' Mortars, Ammunition in Arsal

The army on Sunday announced seizing a Syria-bound truck loaded with “obsolete” ammunition in the Bekaa border town of Arsal.

“The Lebanese army intercepted a truck carrying weapons at the al-Shaab checkpoint in Arsal,” MTV reported.

“Maher Abdullah was driving the truck which was headed for Syria,” it said.

Meanwhile, Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5) said the vehicle was carrying 20 mortar shells.

According to LBCI television, the truck came from the northern border region of Wadi Khaled.

However, an army statement issued later on Sunday said troops intercepted a pickup truck driven by a Lebanese citizen and loaded with a quantity of light munitions and 82-mm mortar shells.

“After being examined by a military expert, the munitions and mortars turned out to be obsolete and unusable,” the statement said.

“The detainee and the seized arms were referred to the relevant authorities and a probe has been launched under the supervision of the judiciary,” it added.

On Wednesday, the army said a Syrian man was killed and two others were wounded after troops fired on a van that failed to stop at a checkpoint in Arsal.