After the collapse of the Syrian army, the country's huge weapons are now being smuggled into Lebanon. Assad's fall therefore created a major profit opportunity for Lebanese arms dealers. Security and political sources in Beirut said so on Wednesday.
Weapons are now widely available in Syria and are being sold at very low prices on the black market, the Emirates-based The National reported on Wednesday, citing Lebanese security sources. The situation is such that an AK-47 rifle is selling for just $25.
The security source said – the Lebanese market is flooded with Syrian weapons. Many dealers go to Syria to buy cheap weapons and smuggle them into Lebanon. Especially the northern part of the country has now become a warehouse of Syrian weapons.
According to the source, so far about 3 thousand weapons have been smuggled through the border crossing from Syria. Most of these weapons are made in China. The arms have the Syrian flag painted on them. But dealers are rubbing off the mark and selling the weapons in the Lebanese market for as much as $500 each.
A Lebanese political source also confirmed that the sudden flow of arms from Syria has caused concern in Lebanon. Sources said the state is aware of the matter and is worried about the possible consequences.
The Syrian army's decline has been unexpectedly rapid. After several years of civil war, the country returned to stability in the past years, but the rebels overthrew the Assad government in just 12 days.
Before the rebels took control of Damascus, Lebanon closed most of its border with Syria. However, many illegal border crossings in the northern part of the country remain open.
Lebanon has been dealing with an arms problem for a long time. During the civil war between 1975 and 1990, the ruling factions amassed huge amounts of weapons and are still using them. The most powerful of these groups is Hezbollah, which is involved in a devastating war with Israel in November 2023.
Lebanese security sources say almost every armed group in the country is buying weapons smuggled from Syria. The war with Israel and the waning power of Hizbollah have raised the risk of internal conflict in the country. US officials have also warned that the possibility of a civil war in Lebanon cannot be ruled out.
Lebanese politicians are watching the collapse of the Syrian government with concern. Syria once had a major influence on Lebanon's internal politics and maintained a military and political occupation of Lebanon for 30 years.
