[Damascus] Syria and Lebanon agreed Friday to begin transferring Syrian detainees held in Lebanon who are not convicted of murder or other serious offenses, concluding a high-level visit to Beirut by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.
Syrian officials estimate about 2,000 Syrians are in Lebanese custody; joint committees will draw up vetted lists and coordinate handovers under agreed legal procedures that both sides say will respect detainees’ rights and state sovereignty.
Mohammad Taha al-Ahmad, director of Arab Affairs at Syria’s Foreign Ministry, said the delegation “reached an agreement to hand over Syrian prisoners, except for those proven to be convicted of crimes resulting in the loss of innocent lives,” and added that President Ahmed al-Sharaa is closely tracking the cases. He praised what he called a “very good response” from Lebanese counterparts and voiced hope to “close the page of the past and open a new phase of cooperation.”
Damascus raised the detainee cases in three meetings with Lebanese officials from the Justice and Interior ministries and security agencies, al-Ahmad said. He argued that many Syrians face “fabricated charges” unsupported by solid evidence and urged case reviews and releases where guilt is not proven.
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Implementation will be handled by joint committees, which are expected to identify eligible detainees, complete legal vetting, and schedule handovers under frameworks designed to safeguard due process while respecting the sovereignty of both states.
The visit, the first by a senior Syrian official since the December 2024 change of government in Damascus, included Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais and General Intelligence Directorate head Hussein al-Salama, who met Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to discuss security and humanitarian tracks as part of a broader reset after years of strain.
Lebanese leaders signaled openness to a structured process, with Aoun calling for joint committees to review pending files and revisit prior agreements after the suspension of the Supreme Lebanese-Syrian Council, and noting that talks with al-Sharaa will cover border demarcation, energy links, and the detainee track, saying “the common interest outweighs all considerations when intentions are sincere.”
Meanwhile, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji said the meetings reflected mutual goodwill to build a new path for cooperation, peace, and development, and he announced agreement to form joint committees to address pending issues. The visit is seen as an important step toward restoring relations between Beirut and Damascus after years of severance and tension, amid mutual efforts to move beyond the previous phase, including Hezbollah’s military intervention in Syria and the resulting divisions and humanitarian harm.
Al-Shaibani said Syria is entering a phase of recovery and reconstruction that should benefit Lebanon, pledged respect for Lebanese sovereignty and non-interference, and said Damascus is working to expand trade and investment ties alongside an international plan for refugee returns.
Regional analysts say the detainee transfer could create space for cooperation on border management, security coordination, and refugee policy.