Syria, Lebanon boost security, military ties in Saudi-hosted talks

Saudi Arabia hosted high-level security talks on March 27, bringing together Syria’s Defence Minister, Major General Murhaf Abu Qasra, and his Lebanese counterpart, Major General Michel Menassa, to discuss strengthening military cooperation and regional stability.

The discussions, held under the directives of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, were attended by Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Caliber.Az reports via Arabic international newspaper.

During the meeting, Syria and Lebanon signed an agreement emphasising the strategic importance of border demarcation, the formation of legal and specialised committees across multiple sectors, and the activation of coordination mechanisms to address security threats—particularly those emerging along their shared border.

Both sides also committed to a follow-up meeting in Saudi Arabia at a later date.

Abu Qasra and Menassa expressed their appreciation to Saudi Arabia’s leadership and Prince Khalid for facilitating the talks. The Kingdom reaffirmed its unwavering support for initiatives that promote security and stability in Syria, Lebanon, and the wider region.

Note that, recently, clashes broke out in the towns of Hawsh es-Sayyid Ali and Mashrafa along the Syria-Lebanon border, with reports suggesting the fighting occurred between Lebanese tribes and Syrian groups.

The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that Hezbollah members, stationed in the town of Al-Qasr in northern Lebanon, targeted the villages of Zayta and Misriyya in the rural areas of Syria’s Homs with artillery fire and heavy machine gunfire.

In response, the Lebanese Army issued a statement declaring that they had taken steps to block illegal crossing routes along the Syria-Lebanon border. The statement mentioned that, in addition to surveillance and control efforts, the Lebanese Army had closed several key illegal entry points, including those in the regions of Al-Matlaba near Al-Qasr, and in Mashari al-Qaa near Baalbek. The areas targeted were reported to be used for smuggling and unauthorised border crossings.

The tensions between the two nations escalated following an incident on March 16, when Syrian soldiers were reportedly ambushed by Hezbollah fighters, captured, and brought to Lebanon, where they were allegedly executed. Hezbollah denied any involvement in the incident, claiming that they had no connection to the border skirmishes.

Following the deaths of three Syrian soldiers along the border, both sides exchanged artillery and rocket fire across the eastern Lebanon border. However, after a phone call on March 17 between the defence ministers of Syria and Lebanon, both parties agreed to a ceasefire and pledged to work towards reducing tensions along the border.

By Aghakazim Guliyev