BEIRUT, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Defense Minister Elias Bou Saab emphasized on Monday the need to demarcate borders with Syria in a bid to solve the illegal issue, the National News Agency reported.
"We should demarcate borders and increase cooperation between the Lebanese and Syrian armies to stop smuggling across the borders," Bou Saab said during his meeting with the Armed Forces Commander Joseph Aoun.
Bou Saab said that the Lebanese army has closed over 95 percent of illegal border crossings since the Fajr al-Joroud battle in 2017.
He added that there are currently eight to 10 illegal border crossings in Lebanon and closing them requires cooperation with Syria and more army personnel.
The Lebanese government has been adopting strict measures aimed at controlling the borders and preventing smuggling in a bid to protect the country's economy.
