Internal Security Forces arrested 3 suspects involved in smuggling people to Cyprus

According to reports two of the suspects are Lebanese nationals and the other one is Syrian. Two of the suspects, one of whom had a gun in his possession, were arrested in the Dinnieh town, while the third was arrested in Akkar’s Bebnine. They all admitted to being involved in smuggling around 60 individuals, majority were Syrians, through al-Abdeh shore in return for 2000 dollars per person. Cyprus has come under fire by Human Rights Watch last year for allegedly pushing back migrants and refugees arriving from Lebanon aboard boats without heeding their claims for asylum while in some instances using violence and coercive tactics.