The Lebanese Army Command - Orientation Directorate issued the following communiqué on Saturday: "On 16/12/2022, a patrol of the Naval Forces, with the support of the Intelligence Directorate, arrested 31 Syrians on a boat off the coast of Tripoli while they were trying to illegally escape by sea."

The communiqué added that a child who was among the detained Syrians was taken to Tripoli Governmental Hospital for medical treatment.

"An investigation has been launched with the detainees under the supervision of the concerned judiciary," the army communiqué concluded.