AFP: Lebanon reports Syrian troop build-up on border

[Parmenion]

Source: AFP

BEIRUT (AFP) — The Lebanese army said on Monday that Syria has boosted troop numbers along the border but that Damascus has stressed the move is linked to a crackdown against smugglers.

"Nearly 10,000 Syrian special forces have been deployed in the Abbudiya region along the border between Lebanon and Syria," an army spokesman told AFP.

"We asked Damascus for clarification and we were told that the measures were strictly internal and on Syrian territory, and that they were in no way directed against Lebanon," he added.

The spokesman said the Syrian authorities have assured the Lebanese army that the build-up is aimed at cracking down on smuggling and other crime along the border.

Read more: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j71MZoLrX-uqnDeCOlc3Wm3XA-5w

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Syria has been building up troop presence in the northern border for the last few weeks but starting yesterday they really ramped it up, and there is a visibly massive presence along the border.

10,000 troops is a very large number (Syria used to occupy their parts of Lebanon with 20,000 troops and additional intelligence presence) and Syria definitely does not need 10,000 troops to "crack down on smuggling." Especially since the largest smuggling areas are along the eastern-north eastern border where the troop presence has not been raised. (The northern border is pretty well guarded and not that many people smuggle across it).

In my opinion if Syria invades it will happen sometime by the end of the week.