Syrian authorities detain Lebanese fishing boat with 16 fishermen near Arida border

Syrian authorities detained a Lebanese fishing boat Thursday night near the northern Arida border point, authorities said, after 16 fishermen, including several young sons of local fishermen, accidentally entered Syrian waters while setting their nets, L'Orient Today's correspondent in the north reported Friday.

The boat belongs to a resident of the border town of Arida. The fishermen had sailed at night to set their fishing nets when they inadvertently crossed into Syrian territorial waters.

Communication is underway between Lebanese and Syrian authorities in an effort to release the fishermen and return the confiscated boat.

This is not the first such incident in the area. In November 2025, Syrian authorities also detained 17 Lebanese nationals after their boats crossed into Syrian waters to fish, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA), before later handing them back to Lebanese security,

Reporting contributed by our correspondent in the north, Michel Hallak.