Lebanon took decisive action on Saturday, expelling more than 70 Syrian military officers and soldiers who had entered the country illegally through informal border routes. The group, which included several senior figures close to Syria’s former leadership under Bashar al-Assad, was sent back to Syria after being detained in Lebanon’s northern coastal city of Jbeil. The Syrian personnel, ranging in rank, had reportedly fled Syria following the fall of Assad’s regime on December 8, seeking refuge in Lebanon.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), based in London, reported that these individuals had crossed the porous border into Lebanon, but were later apprehended by local authorities. Following the expulsion, they were handed over to Syria’s new governing forces. According to sources, the regime’s new leadership has been intensifying a security crackdown on remnants of the Assad regime, especially in areas like Homs and Tartous, close to the Lebanese border.
The move comes amid rising tensions in the region, with both Lebanese and Syrian officials remaining tight-lipped on the specifics. However, Lebanon’s Interior Minister, Bassam Mawlawi, had previously disclosed that key Assad ally Bouthaina Shaaban had left Lebanon legally earlier this month, a sign of ongoing political shifts.
This expulsion highlights Lebanon’s role in the broader regional security landscape as Syria continues to grapple with the aftermath of Assad’s toppled regime.
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