Najib Mikati, the acting Prime Minister of Lebanon, convened a high-level meeting to discuss the burgeoning issue of Syrians entering Lebanon through unauthorized land crossings. The meeting was attended by the Minister of Displaced Persons, Issam Sharaf al-Din, acting Director-General of Public Security, General Elias El Beissari, and General Secretary of the Supreme Council for Defense, General Mohamed Mustafa.
The Minister for Displaced Persons emphasized that the meeting focused on the new wave of Syrian migration that has been occurring for the past three weeks. He stated that this development poses a significant security threat as the entrants are using illegal crossings to enter Lebanon.
During the meeting, discussion centered around the development of a well-thought-out mechanism to deter this occurrence. This includes strengthening border surveillance and coordinating with relevant Syrian authorities. It was also agreed that the Army, intelligence agencies, and public security will work closely with local officials and municipalities to monitor any person hosting these unauthorized migrants.
Additionally, it was agreed that communication will be made at the highest levels with Syria to discuss this pressing issue further.
It is worth noting that the Lebanese Army announced that it thwarted the infiltration attempts of 1,550 Syrians over the past two weeks across the Lebanon-Syria border.
The growing number of Syrians entering Lebanon illicitly poses not just security but also social and economic challenges. It is a matter that the Lebanese government is keen to address through inter-agency cooperation and diplomatic channels with Syria.
The government aims to implement new measures, including increased border security and more robust intelligence sharing, to tackle this issue head-on.
Lebanon, a country already grappling with economic difficulties and an existing refugee crisis, is raising alarm bells over a new influx of Syrian nationals entering the country via unauthorized border crossings. This comes amid the backdrop of heightened regional tensions and ongoing crises in Syria, which have forced people to flee their homes in search of safety.
