Lebanese Soldier Killed, Another Wounded In Clashes On Syria’s Border

The official insignia of the Lebanese Armed Forces.

On August 13, a soldier of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) was killed and another was wounded during clashes with traffickers on Lebanon’s northern border with Syria.

The Lebanese media said that the clashes took place in the area of Wadi Khaled, right on the border with Syria’s Homs. Wadi Khaled is one of the most impoverished and politically marginalized areas of Lebanon. In recent years, the area also became home to thousands of refugees fleeing the war in Syria.

Following the deadly clashes, the LAF deployed a large, heavily armed force in Wadi Khaled as well as in nearby border areas.

The border line between Syria and Lebanon has been always unstable. However, the situation worsened in the recent years as a result of the economic crisis in Lebanon and the war in Syria. The border became a hub for the trafficking of arms and narcotics, especially an amphetamine known as Captagon.

Early on in the month, an officer of the Syrian Military Intelligence Directorate was killed and another was wounded as a result of an attack by Lebanese traffickers. The attack took place in the town of al-Mushrefa, which is located right on the border line between Syria and Lebanon.

The Syrian and Lebanese authorities have been making efforts to counter traffickers along their joint border. However, very little have been achieved, so far.

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