The Lebanese army announced it foiled human smuggling attemps Saturday via boat from northern Lebanon to Cyprus. (Credit: Lebanese army)
BEIRUT — The Lebanese army announced Sunday that it thwarted an operation to smuggle people by sea out of northern Lebanon, another attempt by people seeking to flee Lebanon for Cyprus.
Here’s what we know:
• At 5 p.m. on Oct. 30, a naval patrol detained 54 people — 25 men, 9 women and 20 children — awaiting the arrival of boats on Bellane Island, off the coast of Tripoli, a Lebanese army statement said.
• The army added that one of its naval patrols was able to rescue 9 Syrian nationals on a sinking boat headed for Cyprus.
• “Other patrols also seized three boats that were used to smuggle people across the sea, and arrested a number of smugglers on board,” the statement said.
• On Sep. 18, UNHCR issued a statement that it was "deeply concerned by the spike in self-organized movements by boats to Cyprus" and "distraught by the deaths and dangerous situations that many vulnerable men, women and children are put into as they desperately search for means of survival."
• UNHCR said that there have been at least 21 boat voyage attempts from Lebanon to Cyprus by Syrians, Lebanese and migrant workers between July 14 and September amid worsening economic conditions in Lebanon.