By Gad Yateem

BEIRUT 

Lebanese troops shot at, wounded and arrested three Syrian militants who they say had tried to torch a camp for Syrian refugees in the eastern Lebanese town of Arsal, a military source said Thursday.

According to the source, the three Syrians had been caught in the act of trying to set the refugee camp on fire after raiding another camp in the area.

Lebanese Defense Minister Jean Kahwagi, for his part, said the Lebanese army was keen to protect residents of the town, which is located on Lebanon's border with Syria.

At a meeting with Lebanese Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian, Kahwagi said the ongoing military operation in the town aimed to prevent its infiltration by militants.

In a statement, Lebanese army command said the army was still patrolling the area.

The military source, meanwhile, declined to comment on reports that the Lebanese army had detained some 450 Syrian refugees during its recent raid in Arsal.

"The army has not said anything in this regard," the source asserted, saying merely that the aforementioned number was "inaccurate."

But a security source said the Lebanese army had arrested dozens of Syrian suspects after the raid.

Arsal made headlines early last month when violent clashes erupted in the town between the Lebanese army and Syrian militants.

The violence in Arsal left 17 Lebanese troops dead, while the militants succeeded in capturing several Lebanese soldiers.

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