Clashes break out between the Lebanese Army and thieves on the border with Syria

BEIRUT — Clashes took place Thursday between the Lebanese Army and gangs of thieves in the Bekaa village of al-Qaa on the Lebanon-Syria border, L'Orient Today’s correspondent in the area reported.

Here’s what we know:

    • The clashes broke out during army raids following thefts perpetrated in al-Qaa and its surrounding areas. The army seized weapons and ammunition in several of the houses searched.

    • The Bekaa is often a scene of armed incidents, as the state struggles to impose its authority in the region.

    • The porous border between Lebanon and Syria is regularly used by various groups for smuggling purposes.