Lebanese, Syrian Armies Reach Agreement to Thwart Smuggling, Infiltrations
The joint military committee between the Lebanese and Syrian armies reached an agreement on Friday to revitalize joint coordination and prevent illegal activity along the border between the two countries.
The two sides agreed, during a meeting at the Dabbousieh border crossing, to prevent smuggling operations across the border and thwart the infiltration of individuals.
On October 12, a Syrian army unit entered Lebanon at Wadi Anjar in the Bekaa region where it set up base 400 meters away from a sand barrier that the Lebanese army had set up years ago.
That same day, the Internal Security Forces’ Intelligence Bureau branch in the Bekaa arrested two individuals, a Lebanese and a Syrian, on charges of smuggling light and medium weapons from Lebanon to Syria.
On October 6, a Syrian army unit entered the Bekaa region, killing Syrian farmer Ali al-Khatib.
Other reports said that the farmer was killed in an ambush at a border zone between Lebanon and Syria as he was attempting to infiltrate Lebanon.
Syrian tanks also infiltrated Lebanon on October 4 where they entered the town of Arsal in the Bekaa and opened fire at an abandoned battery factory.
Syria’s incursions have not been restricted to the Bekaa as on September 24, Syrian troops entered the Akkar region in the north where they accidentally fired at the Lebanese army.
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