Report: Lebanon Releases 9 Armed Syrians Detained in Bekaa

The Lebanese judicial authorities released 9 armed Syrians, who had fled into the eastern Bekaa area, Agence France Presse reported on Saturday.

“The Military court ordered the release of 9 detained armed Syrian men this week after they entered Lebanon illegally,” a ministerial source told AFP.

Media reports said that the Lebanese army detained 35 armed Syrians, who allegedly belong to the Free Syrian Army, and had crossed to the Bekaa region with refugees escaping the crackdown of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime on protestors.

However, Reports revealed that the army released 28 out of the 35 armed Syrians, after investigations showed that they haven’t used their arms in Lebanese territories or Syria, while the other 7 were referred to the competent judiciary for using their weapons inside Lebanon and allegedly injuring a Lebanese soldier.

The pan-Arab daily al-Hayat reported on Thursday that the army released the 7 armed men, who were classified among the refugees entering into Lebanon from Syria’s Homs province.

But As Safir newspaper reported that the 7 armed men who were detained by the army were referred to the competent judiciary “in order to take the necessary measures against them.”

The daily also said that the Syrian authorities demanded Lebanon officially on Friday to hand over the armed Syrian nationals that sought refuge in Lebanon, however, the report has not been confirmed.

Media reports said that around 2,000 Syrians crossed into Lebanon over the weekend, fleeing the crisis in their country.

Lebanese security officials say more than 10,000 Syrians are believed to be in the country but according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, 7,058 Syrians have registered in Lebanon as refugees, where most of them live with host families.