Lebanese security forces said Monday they had arrested two Syrian nationals previously based in Libya who were involved in smuggling people from the North African country to Europe. The men were arrested in Lebanon's east, an area near the Syrian border, after they entered the country irregularly, Lebanon's Internal Security Forces said in a statement. The pair were part of a network that smuggled "hundreds" of people including "Syrians, Lebanese, Egyptians, Palestinians" and others of unspecified African nationalities from Libya to Europe by boat, the statement added. Lebanese nationals have increasingly been making the treacherous voyage towards Europe alongside Syrians fleeing war and economic woes in their country, as well as Palestinian refugees. Migrants seeking to reach Europe from Lebanon generally head for the east Mediterranean island of Cyprus less than 200 kilometres (124 miles) away.
