Hundreds of Syrians Flee Unrest into N. Lebanon as Army Boosts Measures on Border

Hundreds of Syrians fled into northern Lebanon on foot on Thursday after they said unrest broke out in the Syrian border town of Tall Kalakh, Agence France Presse reported.

They said Syrian troops encircled Tall Kalakh overnight after a demonstration there and were preventing people from entering the town of 25,000 residents.

"They are allowing people out but not in," said Yahya Merii, 50, who crossed into Lebanon with his wife and two children.

"A demonstration was held Wednesday afternoon and the security forces opened fire, injuring several people," he added. "We also heard gunfire exchanges in the town at night but we don't know who was involved."

His account could not be independently verified, as Syria has restricted access to foreign media trying to cover the uprising that has shaken the country in recent weeks.

Those fleeing Tall Kalakh, located about two kilometers from the border, were mostly women and children.

They carried mattresses and other belongings as they entered Lebanon through Qubeya, an unofficial border crossing in the Wadi Khaled region located in Lebanon's northern district of Akkar.

Mahmoud Khazaal, the former mayor of the border village of al-Muqaybleh, said by late afternoon 2,000 people had fled and were being housed with relatives and friends in the Wadi Khaled region.

"A few people arrived last night but the pace really picked up this morning beginning at 8:00 am," Khazaal told AFP. "Most of those fleeing have family in the Wadi Khaled region.

"I have welcomed 18 people into my house," he added. "No one is being left without a roof over their head."

Rami Khazaal, a local official in al-Muqaybleh, put the number of those who have fled at 700.

Small vans were stationed at the Lebanese side of the border to offer free rides to those fleeing.

The Lebanese army, which boosted its presence along the border, took down their names.

An official crossing point between the two countries is located about one kilometer from Qubeya but those fleeing said the road leading to it had been blocked with stones and tires, thus preventing cars from reaching the border.

"I fled with my daughter-in-law and her three children," said Umm Ahmed Sawan, 60, whose sister lives in Wadi Khaled. "The children were terrified and crying all night from the gunfire so we decided to leave."

Several residents of Wadi Khaled who did not wish to be identified said they saw overnight an official building on the Syrian side of the border in flames, near the Qubeya crossing.

Syria has been rocked by pro-democracy protests which have been put down violently by the security forces, with human rights groups reporting more than 450 people killed since the start of the demonstrations on March 15.

The news came after An Nahar daily reported that the Lebanese army and security forces have deployed along the Nahr al-Kabir river on the border with Syria in the north.

The newspaper quoted eyewitnesses as saying that heavy security measures were taken along the river from Arida all the way to the Wadi Khaled area on Wednesday night.

The witnesses told An Nahar that they heard heavy shooting on the Syrian side of the border in the area of al-Baqiaa.

They also said that armored vehicles were seen heading from their bases in Akkar towards the border with Syria.

Residents of border villages said that the army and security forces also carried out foot and vehicle patrols as part of efforts to control the porous border with Syria and combat smuggling.