In his first official visit to Syria to meet with the new government there, Lebanon’s prime minister on Saturday called for a way for both countries to allow large numbers of Syrian refugees in Lebanon to return home.
The prime minister, Najib Mikati, met in the Syrian capital, Damascus, with Ahmad al-Shara, the leader of the new Syrian government, on Saturday afternoon, according to the Lebanese prime minister’s office. Mr al-Shara heads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Islamist group that led the coup that overthrew the decades-old regime of Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s former president, last month.
At a press conference in Damascus, Mr. Mikati said both countries should immediately resolve the issue of more than a million refugees that Lebanon took in as a result of the Syrian civil war, which began in 2011. Although some have returned, many others remain in Lebanon.
“It is urgent today – in the interest of both countries – to deal with this issue as soon as possible and return refugees to Syria who are thankfully recovering,” said Mr Mikati, adding that he believed Mr al-Shara supported the effort.
Mr al-Shara said the two leaders discussed “remaining issues” including border security, but did not comment on the return of refugees. He said that committees will be established to look at how to solve various problems, but he urged the Syrian people to lower their hopes so that the poor country can be quickly repaired.
“We have many problems in Syria,” Mr al-Shara said. “We cannot solve them all at once. We have to separate them and look for solutions for each one. “
Mr Mikati’s visit to Damascus came after Joseph Aoun was elected president of Lebanon this week after two years in the vacant office. Mr. Aoun will soon begin consultations on appointing a new prime minister next week.
In Syria, Mr. al-Shara faces the challenge of bringing order to a country that has been ravaged by a 14-year civil war that has divided it into several warring regions and fueled the proliferation of armed groups. He wanted to quickly restore normalcy at home, urging government employees to return to work and students to return to school.
Lebanon, like other countries bordering Syria, fears that its internal turmoil could spill over into its territory. Last week, at least five Lebanese soldiers were injured when violence erupted along the Syrian border after Syrian terrorists opened fire on Lebanese soldiers. The Lebanese army said its troops were trying to close the illegal border in the area.
Mr. Mikati spoke on the phone with Mr. al-Shara after these incidents. During the call, Mr al-Shara promised that “the Syrian authorities are doing everything necessary to restore peace on the border and prevent this issue from happening again,” Mr Mikati’s office said at the time.
Further underscoring those challenges, Syrian state media announced on Saturday that security forces had arrested people suspected of belonging to the Islamic State who were planning a major attack in Damascus.
The two men had planned to use explosives at the Sayeda Zeinab mausoleum, a highly revered Shiite Muslim shrine on the outskirts of Damascus, according to state-run SANA.
While the international coalition led by the United States has dealt a major blow to ISIS in its former strongholds in Iraq and Syria, the group is still active in other areas, and continues to promote cyber attacks.
Here’s what’s happening in the region:
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Ceasefire talks in Gaza: Israeli security chiefs will soon head to Qatar for high-level talks on a deal to free hostages in Gaza, the Israeli government said Saturday night. The office of Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, said he had ordered David Barnea, the head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, to lead a delegation to Doha, the capital of Qatar, for talks. Qatar and Egypt have been mediating between Israel and Hamas with help from the United States. Talks have been seemingly endless for months, but Israeli and American officials have expressed high hopes about reaching an agreement in the coming weeks.
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Rockets from Gaza: More than 15 months into the war between Israel and Hamas, Palestinian terrorists are still firing weapons in the Gaza Strip, although both Israeli and American officials say the group’s military strength has declined significantly. A siren sounded in Kerem Shalom, an Israeli border community, on Saturday after a rocket was launched south of Gaza; Israeli forces say they have been successfully intercepted.
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