Lebanese army foils illegal migration attempt into Europe
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The Lebanese army intercepts an irregular migration of 134 individuals, including Syrians and Lebanese, to Europe from the northern border with Syria.
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A Lebanese soldier manning a machine gun, Tyre, Lebanon Saturday, September 16, 2006. (AP)
The Lebanese Army announced in a statement that 134 migrants were arrested near the northern border with Syria on Saturday after foiling their attempt to take a boat to Europe.
The group, which was made up of 130 Syrians and four Lebanese nationals -- were taken into custody in the coastal town of Sheikh Zennad, in Akkar province, the army added.
The army added that it had also detained "the mastermind behind the operation," who was a Lebanese national.
In another statement, the army said they had arrested 150 Syrians who had irregularly crossed into Lebanon in another part of Akkar province.
Authorities say Lebanon currently hosts around two million Syrians, which is the highest number of refugees per capita in the world.
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib pointed out that the Lebanese state does not want to prevent the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) from carrying out patrols in South Lebanon.
Read more: Lebanese Minister warns of playing with fire in Syrian refugees issue
Back in July, in an interview with Al Mayadeen, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib said the countries of the European Union and the West do not want the Syrian refugees to return to Syria, stressing that these countries are working to keep them in the host countries such as Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey.
He noted that the Syrian state welcomes the return of Syrians to their country, confirms that they will not be subjected to any harassment, and welcomes the international community to verify so.
Read more: UN: Discrimination against Syrian refugees in Lebanon on the rise
