Lebanese army thwarts two irregular migration attempts, arrests dozens

More than 200 Syrians and a number of Lebanese nationals were arrested in separate incidents on Saturday in northern Lebanon while reportedly attempting to board irregular migration boats to Italy, the Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF) has said in a statement.

Six others were arrested for allegedly planning the smuggling operation, the statement added.

The first wave of arrests took place on the road linking Minieh to Dennieh, northern Lebanon.

The ISF said it arrested 111 Syrians, including women and children, two Lebanese smugglers and a third person whose identity was not specified. 

In a separate incident, also in the north, three Lebanese smugglers, 120 Syrians were apprehended.

The ISF said that the would-migrants had paid between $6,000 and $7,000 per person to the smugglers, and were heading to the Selaata coast in Batroun.

Earlier on Saturday, the army also announced that it had arrested five smugglers and 49 Syrians in Deir Ammar, north Lebanon, who were also on their way to Selaata to migrate to Europe by sea.

The army said in a statement on Sunday afternoon that it had arrested seven people in the village of Bebnine, Akkar governorate, whom it said were involved in the sea migration attempt. 

The army also seized weapons and ammunition from the people and launched an investigation.