Lebanese Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT – Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi met with his Cypriot counterpart, Nicos Nouris, on Tuesday, to discuss the importance of strengthening cooperation between the two ministries, especially in matters of illegal migration, the state-run National News Agency reported.
Here’s what we know:
• Mawlawi received Nouris in his office Tuesday morning and was invited to conduct an official visit to Cyprus.
• Illegal crossings from Lebanese shores to Cyprus, around 200 kilometers away, have increased in the wake of deepening socio-economic crises. In January, the Internal Security Forces announced that it had dismantled a smuggling operation organizing clandestine trips to the Mediterranean island.