The Internal Security Forces announced on Friday the arrest of 23 Syrians suspected of illegally entering Lebanon.

Here’s what we know:

    • In a statement issued today, the Internal Security Forces reported that they arrested the Syrians on Jan. 4, in the Chadra and Qobeiyat regions of Akkar, North Lebanon.

    • The suspects have been referred to the competent judicial authorities.

    • Incidents of Syrians being smuggled into Lebanese territory have multiplied in recent years following the war that hit Syria in 2011. Lebanon, which has been struggling with an economic crisis since 2019, hosts around one million Syrian refugees.