A backhoe loader of the Lebanese Army at work in southern Lebanon. (Credit: X/@LebarmyOfficial)
A Lebanese Army unit closed six illegal crossings in the mountainous region of the village of Yahfoufa, near Baalbeck, as part of efforts to combat infiltrations and trafficking across the northern and eastern borders, the army announced Friday on X.
This announcement followed a previous statement by the army published the day before, announcing the dismantling of a drug trafficking network and the arrest of 37 people in different regions. It specified that it thwarted an attempt at "smuggling a large quantity of drugs and fuel in the plains of the village of Yahfoufa near Baalbeck, with the arrest of 9 people involved."
On March 16 and 17, violent clashes erupted at the northeastern border of Lebanon and the southwestern border of Syria, resulting in at least seven dead and dozens injured. The cause: a battle for control of this strategic area, where the border demarcation remains unclear, and where smuggling networks, as well as the influence of Hezbollah, raise numerous questions. The Hermel region has already experienced such deadly clashes earlier in February. A ministerial committee in charge of the situation along the border with Syria recommended on Thursday to "strengthen the army" in this area. They regularly announce various operations aimed at limiting smuggling between Syria and Lebanon.