Lebanon and Syria have agreed to deepen security coordination on shared borders, fighting organized crime, and curbing illegal migration. The understanding was reached during a high-level security meeting held in Beirut.
The Syrian delegation was headed by Abdel Qader Tahan, Deputy Minister of Interior, while the Lebanese side was led by Major General Raed Abdallah, Director General of the Internal Security Forces (ISF), and General Security chief Major General Hassan Choucair.
Tahan said the discussions continued the series of bilateral meetings that began in Saudi Arabia and focused on counterterrorism, narcotics control, and illegal migration. He stressed that “any security threat in Lebanon inevitably affects Syria, and vice versa,” underscoring the need for closer coordination.
A Lebanese security source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the talks covered all major security concerns. The Syrian delegation prioritized combating the smuggling of narcotics from Lebanon into Syria and dismantling drug networks operating along the border, proposing concrete steps to address what it described as a growing social and security threat. It also expressed full readiness to exchange intelligence and strengthen field coordination to track and eliminate these networks.
Lebanon, in turn, raised concerns about arms trafficking and the smuggling of individuals through illegal crossings used by outlawed groups to move fugitives between the two countries.
Lebanese officials stressed that direct cooperation with Syrian authorities is essential to maintain security and stability in border regions where smuggling activity has intensified.
Both sides also discussed establishing joint committees to develop mechanisms for intelligence sharing and real-time border monitoring.
The meeting comes as Lebanon intensifies efforts to secure its eastern and northern frontiers, long plagued by the smuggling of goods, fuel, narcotics, and people. The source described the renewed coordination as a “shared necessity,” noting that neither side can manage border challenges unilaterally.
The talks concluded with the Syrian delegation’s visit to Ahmad Al-Hajjar, Lebanon’s Minister of Interior, in the presence of both security chiefs.
Al-Hajjar praised the “deep-rooted Lebanese-Syrian ties,” noting that the meeting builds on recent high-level exchanges, including talks between Presidents Joseph Aoun and Ahmad Al-Sharaa, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s visit to Damascus, and the Syrian Foreign Minister’s trip to Beirut.
