Border situation: Rumors of foreign militants on Lebanon's border dismissed

Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi    

For weeks, social media and some media outlets in Lebanon have circulated alarming reports about foreign extremist fighters, including Uyghurs and Chechens, allegedly deployed along Lebanon's northern and eastern borders. 

Claims of Syrian military build-ups, heightened Lebanese Army reinforcements, and rising border tensions have fueled public anxiety.

However, three separate security and field sources speaking to LBCI confirmed these reports are false. They stressed that Lebanon's northern and eastern borders with Syria remain stable, with no unusual military activity from either the Syrian or Lebanese side. 

The sources denied the presence of Uyghur or Chechen fighters along the frontier and rejected claims of new Lebanese Army deployments, noting that border units have maintained their regular patrols and observation points without any change in operational posture.

On the Syrian side, defense sources also confirmed to LBCI that army units are positioned along the border as usual, with no extraordinary movements or escalations.

Security officials suggested that these inaccurate reports coincide with political pressures inside Lebanon over the future of Hezbollah's weapons and the ongoing Israeli-Syrian contacts. The timing also overlaps with the anticipated visit of U.S. envoy Tom Barrack to Beirut. 

According to the sources, spreading false information about extremist fighters along the eastern border could be part of a broader narrative aimed at portraying Hezbollah and the tribal communities in the area as facing imminent security threats.

Security agencies expressed concern that such misinformation may be an attempt to distract from other undisclosed developments on the ground. Authorities have intensified internal surveillance to monitor for any suspicious activity within Lebanon.

Meanwhile, attention has shifted to real security concerns along Lebanon's southern and southeastern borders, where Israeli military activity has intensified. Israeli forces were seen operating within Lebanese territory near Mount Hermon on Monday.

Israel's recent moves included expanding its control over the summit of Mount Hermon, a strategic high ground straddling Lebanon, Syria, and Israel, overlooking vast parts of the region. 

The occupation of the summit comes as part of Israel's broader expansion into the Golan Heights and southern Syria following the collapse of the previous Syrian regime.