Report: Syrian Army Continues Planting Landmines along Lebanese Border
The Syrian army continued planting landmines along the Lebanese border as tensions have been on the rise there, An Nahar newspaper reported on Monday.
Sources told the daily that the measures taken by the Syrian army will include all the towns along the Syrian-Lebanese border to control all the illegal crossings to prevent weapons smuggling.
The newspaper reported that a number of Syrian army vehicles and troops were seen patrolling the Syrian territories near the Lebanese border, where explosions were heard.
Al-Mustaqbal newspaper reported on Monday that eight landmines have so far exploded, followed by sporadic gunshots towards nearby forests.
Lebanese national Imad Khaled Oweyshi’s leg was blown off on Friday after he stepped on a mine planted by Syrian troops along the border near Wadi Wawiyat.
Sources told the daily that the Syrian army also set up electric wires along the border to prevent dissidents from heading to the towns in the Arsal or al-Qaa regions in the Bekaa in eastern Lebanon.
They added that snipers have been deployed in those areas.
However, the newspaper said that the Syrian army incursions into Lebanese territories have decreased.
Tensions along Lebanon's border with Syria have increased since the revolt against President Bashar Assad's regime that has left more than 3,500 people dead according to the United Nations.
An estimated 5,000 Syrians have sought refuge in Lebanon since the revolt began in March, among them army defectors and members of the opposition.
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