عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Lebanese Ministerial Delegation to Visit Syria

Electricity cables are seen in Tyre, Lebanon August 11, 2021. REUTERS/Aziz Taher
Electricity cables are seen in Tyre, Lebanon August 11, 2021. REUTERS/Aziz Taher
TT
TT

Lebanese Ministerial Delegation to Visit Syria

Electricity cables are seen in Tyre, Lebanon August 11, 2021. REUTERS/Aziz Taher
Electricity cables are seen in Tyre, Lebanon August 11, 2021. REUTERS/Aziz Taher

A Lebanese ministerial delegation is expected to carry out an official visit to Damascus this week for the first time since 2011.

The visit aims to discuss an agreement to import natural gas from Egypt through Syria and Jordan to the Deir Ammar power plant in north Lebanon.

President Michel Aoun and caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab signed an extraordinary decree tasking deputy Prime Minister and caretaker Defense and Foreign Minister Zeina Akar to head the delegation, which should also include Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni, Energy Minister Raymond Ghajar and Abbas Ibrahim, who heads Lebanon's General Security Directorate.

“The ministers were surprised by the assignment and said they learned about the visit from the media,” ministerial sources told Asharq Al-Awsat on Sunday.

The sources said the date of the visit has not been set yet, but they confirmed that Ibrahim is coordinating with Damascus on the visit. “Talks in Damascus should reactivate an agreement to import Egyptian gas through the Jordan-Syria line to Lebanon,” the sources added.

They also confirmed that Egypt was willing to export gas to Lebanon, while the US and Jordan have both facilitated the matter.

Lebanon relies on Egyptian natural gas to increase the production of power, as the country struggles with crippling fuel shortages.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Pentagon Acknowledges There Are More than 2,500 US Troops in Iraq

A US soldier is seen at a military base near Mosul, Iraq. (Reuters file)
A US soldier is seen at a military base near Mosul, Iraq. (Reuters file)
TT
TT

Pentagon Acknowledges There Are More than 2,500 US Troops in Iraq

A US soldier is seen at a military base near Mosul, Iraq. (Reuters file)
A US soldier is seen at a military base near Mosul, Iraq. (Reuters file)

The Pentagon acknowledged Monday that there are more than 2,500 US troops in Iraq, the total routinely touted publicly. It also said the number of forces in Syria has grown over the past “several years” due to increasing threats, but was not openly disclosed.

Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement that there are “at least 2,500” US military personnel in Iraq “plus some additional, temporary enablers” that are on rotational deployments.

He said that due to diplomatic considerations, the department will not provide more specifics.

The US concluded sensitive negotiations with the government of Iraq in September that called for troops to begin leaving after the November election.

The presence of US troops there has long been a political liability for Iraqi leaders who are under increased pressure and influence from Iran.

US officials have not provided details about the withdrawal agreement, but it calls for the mission against the ISIS group to end by September 2025, and that some US troops will remain through 2026 to support the anti-ISIS mission in Syria. Some troops may stay in the Kurdistan region after that because the regional government would like them to stay.

Ryder announced last week that there are about 2,000 US troops in Syria – more than double the 900 that the US had acknowledged publicly until now.

On Monday he said the extra 1,100 would be deployed for shorter times to do force protection, transportation, maintenance and other missions. He said the number has fluctuated for the past several years and increased “over time.”