Lebanon, Syria discuss situation of Syrian detainees, missing persons in Lebanon

(MENAFN) Lebanese and Syrian officials held talks in Beirut on Monday, with the fate of Syrian detainees and missing persons in Lebanon topping the agenda.

According to a Syria’s state news agency, the meeting brought together Mohammad Yaqoub Al-Omar, head of consular affairs at the Syrian Foreign Ministry, and Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, alongside a Syrian delegation.

Al-Omar said the discussions covered the detainees file and “a number of other bilateral issues,” without giving further details. He stressed that both sides had reaffirmed the importance of strengthening “brotherly relations” through coordination and cooperation.

The detainees issue has long been a flashpoint between Beirut and Damascus. Rights groups and media reports suggest that more than 2,000 Syrians remain in Lebanese prisons, many held without trial since the start of the Syrian uprising in 2011. Lebanese authorities say the individuals face pending charges but have not disclosed case details or overall figures.

The talks come amid renewed engagement between the two neighbors. In April, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visited Damascus for the first time since President Ahmed al-Sharaa took office following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. That visit also touched on the detainees question, as well as border and security disputes.

The Lebanese-Syrian border remains a source of tension, particularly over smuggling and unresolved demarcation. The al-Sharaa government has pledged to prioritize settling longstanding disputes with Beirut, with the detainees issue at the forefront.

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