Surge in Syrian Refugees to Arsal as 6 Vehicles belonging to Sami al-Atrash Seized

The Bekaa town of Arsal witnessed on Saturday a surge in Syrian refugees fleeing the region of al-Qalamoun following the fall of the Syrian villages of Flita and Ras al-Maarra in the hands of regime forces, reported the National News Agency.

Around 700 refugees arrived in the town up until noon on Saturday amid the heavy deployment of the Lebanese army in the area.

The numbers of refugees seeking safety is expected to rise during the day, added NNA.

The army sought to inspect the identifications cards of the refugees and prevent the infiltration of gunmen into Lebanon from Syria through the outskirts of Arsal.

The flood of refugees was accompanied by Syrian fighter jets' shelling of the outskirts of the town in the al-Ajram region.

Syrian troops made fresh gains in the strategic Qalamun region near the Lebanese border on Saturday, seizing the Ras al-Maarra and Flita from rebels, a military source told Agence France Presse.

The military source said the latest advance "is a new step towards closing off the border with Lebanon.”

Also in the border town, a force formed of the army's airborne regiment and of Internal Security Forces raided a house and garages belonging to fugitive Sami al-Atrash.

The force seized 6 stolen vehicles or car pieces, which are being inspected by the army troops, the NNA said.

The name of Sami al-Atrash had been mentioned for the first time in media reports claiming that he collaborated with Sameh Breidi in preparing the first car bomb that exploded in the Beirut southern suburb of Bir al-Abed, a Hizbullah stronghold.

The mountainous Arsal border area has long been a smuggling haven, with multiple routes into Syria that have been used since the conflict began in March 2011 to transport weapons and fighters.