Lebanon Thwarts Attempt to Smuggle 69 Syrians to Cyprus

BEIRUT - Lebanese troops on Sunday aborted an attempt to smuggle dozens of Syrian migrants to the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, the military said.

The attempt to smuggle 69 Syrian citizens comes as Lebanon is witnessing a severe economic and financial crisis that has thrown more people into poverty. There have been attempts over the past year to smuggle migrants to European Union member Cyprus during which some of the migrants were killed. The Mediterranean island and Lebanon have an agreement to curb the arrival of boats loaded with migrants from reaching Cyprus. The Lebanese army said in a statement that soldiers and members of the army intelligence thwarted the attempt in the northern district of Arida near the border with Syria. It added that the smuggler who took money from the migrants to take them to Cyprus has been arrested and is being questioned.