AK-47 for $25: Lebanon 'flooded' with Syrian firearms abandoned after army collapse

About 3,000 pieces had already been smuggled through illegal border crossings, sources told The National

Security sources said most armed groups in Lebanon are taking the opportunity to buy Syrian army weapons. Reuters

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The collapse of Syria's army has flooded the country with firearms, pushing Lebanese gun dealers to profit by purchasing cheap guns and smuggling them into Lebanon, security and political sources in Beirut said on Wednesday.

“There is widespread availability of guns in Syria, and they're being sold on the black market for cheap prices. The price of an AK-47, for example, is around $25,” the security source told The National.

“The Lebanese market is flooded with Syrian firearms, as many dealers are travelling to Syria to purchase weapons and smuggle them into Lebanon. The northern region of the country is now full of Syrian arms,” the source explained.

The source added that about 3,000 pieces had already been smuggled through illegal border crossings, especially in the north. “The majority are made in China. They have the Syrian flag printed on them, so the dealers are scratching those off and offering them back in the Lebanese market for around $500 the piece.”

A political source in Beirut confirmed the “sudden flow” of firearms from Syria in recent days, adding that “the state is aware and is worried about the consequences”.

The Ministry of Interior did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The collapse of the Syrian army has been swift, decisive, and astonishing. In just 12 days, the country has gone from what appeared to be an enduring status quo to the total collapse of the Assad dynasty.

As the rebels looked set to take over Damascus, Lebanon immediately closed all its land border crossings with Syria except for a main one that links Beirut with the Syrian capital. But many of the illegal border crossings, especially in the north, kept running.

Days later, Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, which led the rebel advance that deposed Syrian president Bashar Al Assad, established military control over the main border crossings with Jordan and Lebanon as it consolidated control in Syria, witnesses and rebel commanders told The National.

Lebanon has long struggled with the widespread presence of firearms and weaponry, with the ruling establishment, which has governed since the civil war that lasted between 1975 and 1990, remaining heavily armed. Among the dominant groups is Hezbollah, which fought a prolonged and devastating war with Israel that ended last November following a US-brokered ceasefire.

The security source said that one of the many points of concern is that “almost every armed party in Lebanon is buying from the smuggled weapons”.

Syrian rebel fighters assist with the passage of Syrians back into their country through a destroyed border crossing in northern Lebanon. AFP

Israel's war, coupled with Hezbollah's diminishing power, led to fears of internal strife in Lebanon, as other armed groups might attempt to challenge Hezbollah's dominance. US officials involved in brokering the ceasefire have warned that the possibility of a civil war cannot be ruled out.

On the other hand, Lebanese politicians have been watching the collapse of the Syrian regime with a sense of anxiety. Syria invaded Lebanon in 1976 during the early years of the Lebanese civil war, maintaining an occupation and exerting substantial military and political influence for nearly 30 years before being forced out in 2005.

For decades, the Syrian regime maintained a firm grip on Lebanese affairs, infiltrating almost all facets of life. Top jobs in Lebanon would only go to allies of Damascus and opponents risked assassination, and many of the Syrian regime officials owned properties in Lebanon.

“The situation in Syria is scary. We are expecting internal conflicts, and this is a source of worry for us,” said another Lebanese security source, adding that “some of the security heads who oversee the border crossings with Syria and had good relations with the Syrian regime were replaced by others to avoid any complications”.

The source indicated that, while there has been no official announcement regarding any figures from the Syrian regime relocating to Lebanon following the fall of Damascus, the possibility of some being in Lebanon “is not entirely impossible”.