Lebanese army arrests 450 Syrian refugees in Arsal

(Zaman Al Wasl)-  The Lebanese army said one person was killed and two wounded during a search for suspected militants at refugee camps near the border with Syria, and security sources said the number detained in the past two weeks had reached about 450, Reuters said.

Meantime, families of detainees have carried out a demonstration,  demanding Free Syrian Army (FSA) to defend them from repeated assaults by Shiite militia.

The fierce campaign against Syrian refugees comes as Syrian rebels led by Nusra Front have been inflicting humiliating defeats on Hezbollah in Qalamoun near Arsal.

The reporter said that many makeshift shelters have been burned by Lebanese army.

Nusra has been holding 20 Lebanese soldiers as captives since last month. The negotiations to free them have deadlocked.