Lebanon's Mikati holds talks with al-Sharaa on bilateral ties
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Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati discusses bilateral ties with the leader of the new Syrian administration amid border skirmishes between the Lebanese Army and Syrian militants.
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Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, second right, meets with the committee monitoring the Lebanese-Israeli ceasefire, at the government palace in Beirut, Lebanon, on Tuesday, December 24, 2024 (AP)
Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati held a phone call on Friday with Ahmed al-Sharaa, head of the new Syrian administration, to discuss bilateral relations and urgent issues, according to a statement from Mikati's office.
The conversation addressed the recent escalation involving the Lebanese Army in the Bekaa region near the Syrian border. Al-Sharaa assured Mikati that "relevant Syrian authorities have taken all necessary measures to restore calm along the Lebanese-Syrian border and prevent a recurrence of such incidents."
Al-Sharaa also extended an invitation to Mikati to visit Syria to "discuss shared issues and strengthen bilateral relations."
The talks followed renewed clashes in Maaraboun, Baalbek, where four Lebanese soldiers were injured on Friday evening in confrontations with Syrian armed individuals.
According to the Lebanese Army, the clashes erupted after armed Syrians attempted to open an illegal crossing using a bulldozer while an army unit was working to close it. The soldiers fired warning shots into the air, prompting the armed individuals to fire directly at them, injuring one soldier and sparking an exchange of fire.
The army announced that it has since implemented strict military measures in the area to contain the situation.
Issue of Syrian refugees
Mikati had in December called for the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland following the political shift in Syria after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.
At a political festival in Rome, Mikati emphasized that "the consequences of the Syrian war made Lebanon home to the largest number of refugees per capita, with one-third of our population comprising of Syrian refugees."
"The strain on our resources has been substantial, worsening existing economic trouble and creating fierce competition for jobs and services," he said.
The Lebanese premier pointed out that "today, and after the political transformation in Syria, the best resolution to this issue is for Syrians to go back to their homeland."
Lebanese authorities report that the country, with a population of 5.8 million, is currently home to approximately two million Syrian refugees, including over 800,000 registered with the United Nations—marking the highest number of refugees per capita globally.
Many Syrians fled their homeland following the outbreak of war on the country in 2011.
