Lebanon shares a 396-kilometer border with Syria that long has been a cause of instability due to overlapping and unmarked boundaries in many areas. Smugglers moved weapons and narcotics through several unofficial points, and Syrian illegal immigrants flocked into Lebanon after the outbreak of Syria’s civil war in 2011.
Taking advantage of regime change in Syria, the recently formed Lebanese government is striving to improve security on its border. Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Menassa met Syrian counterpart Murhaf Abu Qasra in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in March 2025.
The talks, facilitated by Saudi Minister of Defense His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Salman, culminated in a deal on demarcation of the Lebanese-Syrian border and security cooperation.
The border between the two countries was established in 1920 under the French mandate over both Syria and Lebanon. But the border has never been precisely demarcated, despite Lebanon’s persistent demand to do so.
Experts cautioned that completion of border demarcation will require time and commitment from both governments.
“Border demarcation doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a very long process. There are several border issues that first require rework to determine and resolve the problematic border points,” retired Lebanese Armed Forces Gen. Khalil Helou told the online magazine Breaking Defense.
Sources: U.N., AP News, Aljazeera.net