France offers mediation to ‘stabilize’ Lebanon–Syria border clashes
Lebanese army troops have deployed along the border and are responding to ongoing sources of fire from Syria
France has offered its mediation to help put an end to the ongoing clashes that have been raging on the Syrian–Lebanese border in recent days.
French President Emmanuel Macron offered assistance in “stabilizing” the situation on the border between Lebanon and Syria – and affirmed support for Lebanon in separate phone calls with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and President Joseph Aoun, according to the Elysee.
Macron also extended an invitation to Syrian transitional President Ahmad Sharaa – former Al-Qaeda chief previously known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani – to visit France.
Aoun and Sharaa also spoke on the phone on Saturday and agreed to work on calming the situation and preventing harm to civilians.
The clashes erupted on 6 February in the town of Hawik – a Lebanese town that lies on both sides of the Lebanon–Syria border. The town of Hawik is known as a hotbed for smuggling between Lebanon and Syria.
Last week, the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham-led (HTS) Military Operations Department deployed forces to set up checkpoints allegedly in an attempt to thwart smuggling, resulting in the outbreak of fierce fighting with Lebanese tribesmen.
The tribes have pulled back at the request of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), which has heavily deployed across the border region and is responding to ongoing sources of fire from Syria – which include rocket and drone attacks on Lebanon’s territory.
“Following the statement regarding the issuance of orders to military units to respond to sources of fire launched from Syrian territory targeting Lebanese territory, shelling has been launched repeatedly on Lebanese areas adjacent to the eastern border, while army units continue to respond with appropriate weapons,” the Lebanese army announced in a statement on 9 February.
“Exceptional security measures are also being implemented along this border, including the establishment of observation points, the conduct of patrols, and the establishment of temporary barriers. The army command is following the situation and taking appropriate measures according to developments,” the LAF added.
Several Lebanese tribesmen and HTS militants have been killed in the fighting. Dozens of people have been injured. Last week, both sides took captives from each other yet ended up releasing them in an exchange deal.
Over the weekend, Lebanese tribes shot down a drone fired by the Syrian forces. Shelling from the Syrian side has been ongoing.
On Sunday night, Israeli warplanes launched airstrikes targeting the outskirts of the Lebanese town of Hermel near the Syrian border, close to where the fighting is taking place.
The Israeli army claimed it hit an underground tunnel used by Hezbollah to transfer weapons from Syria to Lebanon.
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