Syria has planted land mines along parts of its 230-mile border with Lebanon, further sealing itself off from the world.
Although Syrian President Bashar Assad’s hold on power seems to be firm, he is taking increasingly desperate measures to safeguard his grip on the country of 22 million people. A Syrian official confirmed that troops were laying the mines, saying they were aimed at stopping weapons smuggling into the country during the uprising that began nearly eight months ago.
But the mountains and hills along the frontier are used by refugees fleeing Syria’s deadly military assault on protesters and by Syrians who have jobs and families on the Lebanese side. The decision to plant mines suggests the regime is trying to contain a crisis that is spinning out of its control.
The mines also are the latest sign that Syria is working to prevent Lebanon from becoming a safe haven for the Syrian opposition as the uprising continues and the death toll mounts. The U.N. says about 3,000 people have been killed by security forces since March. — ap