The Lebanese Navy has intercepted a cargo vessel suspected of smuggling weapons to Syria in the waters off north Lebanon, Press TV reports.
Lebanon’s naval forces captured the ship Lutfallah II on Friday and forced it to dock at Selaata port, 50 kilometers north of Beirut.
The ship, which bore an Egyptian flag, had set sail from Alexandria and was headed to Syria.
Syrian officials have repeatedly announced that armed rebel groups operating in the country have been receiving weapons from supporters in Lebanon and other states that border Syria.
Qatar and Saudi Arabia are two of the countries accused of arming the anti-government rebels, though they do not share a border with Syria.
Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011, with demonstrations being held both against and in support of President Bashar al-Assad's government.
The Syrian government says outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorists are the driving factor behind the unrest and deadly violence while the West and the Syrian opposition say the security forces are killing protesters.
Damascus also says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country and the security forces have been given clear instructions not to harm civilians.
MAB/MF/HGL
