By Xinhua,
Beirut : Syria has expanded troops deployment along the borders to reach eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa valley region, As-Safier daily reported here Friday.
Almost 3,000 troops, equipped with heavy weapons, had been deployed in the area facing east Lebanon villages, the report said.
Syria is deploying its troops along the border with eastern Lebanon, as “it did in September on the northern border,” a Lebanese army official was quoted as saying.
However, “the Syrian reinforcements aim at stopping all smuggling and preventing wanted persons who escape along Syrian-Lebanese border,” the source added.
Syria deployed in September around 10,000 troops along the border with northern Lebanon.
Syrian troop’s movements have been coordinated between commanders of the Lebanese and Syrian armies, media reports said.
Earlier this month, Lebanese President Michel Suleiman contacted with his Syrian counterpart Basher Assad and agreed that the Syrian deployment was to counter smuggling and secure the borders.
But Lebanon’s anti-Syrian parliamentary majority have expressed fears that Damascus could be preparing to return its forces to Lebanon.
Syria withdrew its troops from Lebanon in 2005 after three decades of political and military control over its close neighbor.