Middle East
Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra (left), Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman (center), and Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Mansi (right) in Jeddah on March 27, 2025. Photo: Saudi Arabia state media
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Lebanon and Syria signed a border demarcation and de-escalation agreement on Friday, Beirut’s defense ministry announced. The deal was brokered by Riyadh, following deadly skirmishes earlier in March.
Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman hosted Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Mansi and his Syrian counterpart Murhaf Abu Qasra in Jeddah for discussions on enhancing security and stability, according to a statement from the Lebanese Defense Ministry.
An agreement was signed in which “both sides emphasized the strategic importance of border demarcation, the formation of specialized legal committees in various fields, and the activation of coordination mechanisms to address security and military challenges, particularly those that may arise along the border,” the statement read.
The two sides also agreed to hold a follow-up meeting in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi defense minister later wrote on X that the agreement aligns with Riyadh’s efforts to “promote security, stability and development of both countries and the region.”
The agreement comes almost two weeks after Syria's Defense Ministry accused Beirut-based Hezbollah of ambushing and executing three Syrian soldiers near the Zeita Dam border area in mid-March - an allegation the Lebanese group denied. Damascus vowed to "take all necessary measures" following what it called a "dangerous escalation."
The 375-kilometer Lebanon-Syria border, marked by mountains and valleys, has long been a flashpoint. The two nations share six official crossings but lack clear demarcation.
Tensions have risen since Syria’s new interim government, led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, took power in December. In early February, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that the Lebanese army began retaliating against cross-border attacks from Syria.
The army command ordered troops to respond to fire from Syrian territory, NNA reported. President Joseph Aoun authorized the response after several Lebanese villages were shelled. Aoun later coordinated with Syrian President Ahmad Sharaa to ease tensions.
Damascus has vowed to tighten border security to combat smuggling and movement by remnants of the former regime.
Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman hosted Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Mansi and his Syrian counterpart Murhaf Abu Qasra in Jeddah for discussions on enhancing security and stability, according to a statement from the Lebanese Defense Ministry.
An agreement was signed in which “both sides emphasized the strategic importance of border demarcation, the formation of specialized legal committees in various fields, and the activation of coordination mechanisms to address security and military challenges, particularly those that may arise along the border,” the statement read.
The two sides also agreed to hold a follow-up meeting in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi defense minister later wrote on X that the agreement aligns with Riyadh’s efforts to “promote security, stability and development of both countries and the region.”
The agreement comes almost two weeks after Syria's Defense Ministry accused Beirut-based Hezbollah of ambushing and executing three Syrian soldiers near the Zeita Dam border area in mid-March - an allegation the Lebanese group denied. Damascus vowed to "take all necessary measures" following what it called a "dangerous escalation."
The 375-kilometer Lebanon-Syria border, marked by mountains and valleys, has long been a flashpoint. The two nations share six official crossings but lack clear demarcation.
Tensions have risen since Syria’s new interim government, led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, took power in December. In early February, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that the Lebanese army began retaliating against cross-border attacks from Syria.
The army command ordered troops to respond to fire from Syrian territory, NNA reported. President Joseph Aoun authorized the response after several Lebanese villages were shelled. Aoun later coordinated with Syrian President Ahmad Sharaa to ease tensions.
Damascus has vowed to tighten border security to combat smuggling and movement by remnants of the former regime.
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