Woman killed as smuggler tries to run over Lebanese soldiers at border

A woman was killed and three others injured during an attempt to smuggle 12 Syrians into Lebanon through an illegal crossing in the Arsal border region, after the driver of a smuggling vehicle tried to run over Lebanese army personnel at a military checkpoint while coming from Syria.

In a statement issued Thursday, the Lebanese army said its forces, while conducting security operations to control the border and prevent smuggling on Wednesday, detected a vehicle with tinted windows and no license plates crossing the checkpoint from Syrian territory into Lebanon.

The army added that the driver attempted to run over the checkpoint personnel, prompting soldiers to fire warning shots to force the vehicle to stop. The driver then abandoned the vehicle and fled to an unknown location.

Upon searching the vehicle, the army found 12 Syrian nationals inside, en route to Lebanese territory. Among them, a woman had sustained a gunshot wound, and three others were injured by shattered glass. The injured were transported to a hospital for treatment, but the woman later died from her injuries.

The incident comes amid ongoing security campaigns by authorities on both sides of the Lebanese-Syrian border to control crossings and prevent smuggling, especially since the fall of the Bashar Assad regime in 2024.

In recent months, authorities have closed several illegal crossings used for smuggling goods and people, though attempts to cross via these routes continue.

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Smuggling between the two countries has a long history, but it increased significantly under the Bashar Assad regime, when Hezbollah largely controlled the border and around 130 illegal crossings, including for arms smuggling.

Security measures by the Lebanese and Syrian armies and security agencies have significantly reduced smuggling and closed many illegal crossings, but have not completely stopped such activities.