Lebanese army arrests 86 Syrians trying to sail to Europe

Beirut: The Lebanese Army Command on Friday arrested 86 Syrian nationals planning to set sail from Lebanon to Italy, a statement by the Lebanese army reported.

The immigrants were preparing to migrate by sea from El-Abdeh in northern Lebanon.

The Lebanese army seized the boat intended for use by the immigrants, and an investigation has begun with the detainees under the oversight of judicial authorities, Xinhua news agency reported.

Lebanese security agencies have stepped up their efforts to combat illegal immigration, as a growing number of Syrian and Palestinian refugees, along with Lebanese citizens, have been attempting to leave Lebanon illegally for other countries in recent months.