A photograph of the migrant ship stopped by the Lebanese Navy off the coast of northern Lebanon. (Credit: Lebanese Army)
On Friday, the Lebanese Navy mounted a successful rescue operation off the coast of Tripoli, saving a group of Syrian migrants, including children, who were stranded in a malfunctioning fishing boat, according to reports from L'Orient Today's regional correspondent. Citing a security source and a local informant, the migrants had set sail from the coastal area of Abdeh in Akkar, aiming to reach Cyprus illegally. Following their distress calls, the Lebanese Navy intervened to evacuate the passengers, tow the vessel and take it into custody with an investigation currently underway.
In a statement, the Lebanese Army said that its naval forces "foiled a smuggling operation" by stopping a boat with 110 people on it, two of whom were Lebanese and the remaining 108 Syrian.
On Thursday, the gendarmerie of Halba had raided the home of an individual identified as Z.A. in the locality of Wadi al-Rayhan in Akkar. Z.A., along with another person, H.D., was arrested on suspicion of involvement in human trafficking via sea. At the time of the raid, our correspondent reported that 40 Syrian nationals were found inside the residence. All individuals present were arrested and are now subject to a legal investigation.
Illegal migration attempts from Lebanon have surged over recent years as the country continues to grapple with a severe economic crisis that has persisted for over four years. Just last month, at least two clandestine migration efforts were foiled off the coast of Tripoli. And in late September, about thirty Syrians attempting to leave Lebanon illegally by sea were rescued offshore near Chekka in the North.