Army Bolsters Deployment in Arsal on Eve of Elections

The army has bolstered its deployment in the northeastern border town of Arsal ahead of Sunday’s municipal polls, reported the National News Agency on Saturday.

It said that the military has spread its forces at polling stations and the various entrances to the town.

Patrols have been deployed in the region.

There have been concerns by local officials in Arsal over holding the elections in the area given the tensions there caused by Syrian refugees and the town’s proximity to the neighboring country.

There have been demands to postpone the polls, but Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq assured earlier this week that the situation is under control.

Arsal lies 12 kilometers from the border with Syria and has been used as a conduit for weapons and rebels to enter the neighboring country, while also serving as a refuge for people fleeing the conflict.