Syrian, Lebanese forces discuss strengthening border security

The commander of the Syrian Border Guard Forces, Brigadier General Hassan Abdul Ghani, met a Lebanese army delegation on Thursday led by liaison officer Brigadier General Michel Boutros to discuss issues of mutual interest, particularly border control.

The Syrian Ministry of Defence said the meeting focused on strengthening cooperation and coordination between the two sides in combating smuggling activities, with the aim of enhancing border security between the two countries, according to SANA, the state-owned news agency of Syria.

In April, the Syrian Border Guard Forces announced the results of their deployment along the country’s borders since the start of the year, saying they had achieved direct progress in border control and efforts to combat smuggling and illegal crossings.

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The forces further reported discovering and fully closing three recently constructed tunnels, including two near the Lebanese border, as well as filling in five older tunnels at various locations.

The Syrian-Lebanese border has witnessed movement by Syrian and Lebanese civilians towards border crossings in Syrian provinces as they flee Israeli air strikes targeting areas inside Lebanon.

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