LEBANON must prevent fighters from crossing into Syria, Lebanese President Michel Sleiman says, after Damascus threatened to respond to cross-border infiltrations.
Shortly after his office announced the comments, made in a meeting with the Lebanese community in the Ivory Coast, witnesses on Saturday reported a Syrian troop build up along parts of the border with Lebanon.
Lebanon's stability depends "on all of us ... not sending militants to Syria and not receiving them," Sleiman said, adding "we must commit ourselves to neutrality."
Sleiman said he had tasked Lebanon's army with "the arrest of any militants intending to fight (in Syria), whether for the opposition or not."
A statement released by Prime Minister Najib Mikati's office said the premier had met the army chief to discuss "the measures being taken by the Lebanese military ... on the border with Syria to prevent the infiltration of militants and arms smuggling operation."
Syria warned on Thursday that its forces would fire into Lebanon if "terrorist gangs" continued to infiltrate the country.
"These past 36 hours, armed terrorist gangs have infiltrated Syrian territory in large numbers from Lebanon," the Syrian foreign ministry said, in a message quoted by official news agency SANA.
"Syrian forces are showing restraint by not striking these gangs inside Lebanese territory to prevent them crossing into Syria, but this will not go on indefinitely."
A Lebanese government source, speaking to AFP on Saturday, said Beirut took the warning "very seriously" and that "intensive consultations are underway to find the best way to control the border".
Beirut has officially pledged neutrality in the violence engulfing its neighbour, but has found itself increasingly embroiled in the civil war.
Lebanon's opposition backs the revolt, while the Shi'ite Hezbollah stands by the Syrian regime.
Violence has already spilled over into Lebanon on several occasions, causing fatalities.
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