Arida General Security Post Resumes Work Thursday as Probe in Attack Continues

The General Directorate of General Security on Wednesday announced that work will resume Thursday morning at the al-Arida border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, noting that the investigation into the latest attack on the post is still underway.

“The probe is still underway under the supervision of the military prosecution to unveil the circumstances of the attack on the building and its equipment and identify the perpetrators and instigators of this act that targeted an official security post,” a General Security statement said.

On Monday, the directorate announced the closure of the border post for repair works “after it was attacked Sunday by some residents, who pelted it with stones and vandalized its equipment.”

The directorate said the attack caused malfunctions in its computer system, asking travelers to use other crossings pending the end of restoration work.

Al-Aboudiyeh is the only other legal border checkpoint in northern Lebanon. There are many other illegal crossings along the border with Syria.

On Sunday, angry al-Arida residents smashed the windows of the base and nearby vehicles with rocks after a Syrian man was killed while trying to enter Lebanon from the nearby Grand River.

The man, who was allegedly fleeing the violence in Syria, was shot dead by Syrian security forces.

The residents also scattered General Security's equipment in the base and blocked the international highway with burning tires, calling on the Lebanese army to deploy in the area to protect the border.