Syria Accuses Hezbollah of Carrying Out Attacks and Sponsoring Cross-Border Smuggling
In the first public clash since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, the new Syrian authorities have fiercely criticized Lebanon’s Hezbollah over border unrest.
According to Syria’s official news agency SANA, Syrian authorities have accused Hezbollah of launching attacks against Syrian security forces and supporting cross-border smuggling networks.
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The agency quoted Moayad Al-Salama, commander of the western region in the Border Security Administration, as saying: “Last week, we engaged in clashes with armed smuggling gangs in the Syrian villages of Hawik, Jermash, Wadi Al-Hourani, and Akoum during a sweeping operation aimed at securing the western border from smuggling activities.”
Hezbollah had been an ally of Bashar al-Assad until an offensive led by armed opposition factions, under Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, ousted the former Syrian president.
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Last week, the new Syrian authorities launched anti-smuggling operations along the Syrian-Lebanese border, where Hezbollah holds significant influence.
According to SANA, Moayad Al-Salama stated: “We are closely tracking most of the smuggling networks along the Lebanese border, which belong to Hezbollah militias. Their presence in the region has become a threat due to their sponsorship of drug and arms trafficking.”
The agency also quoted a Syrian official saying: “We have developed a comprehensive plan to fully secure the border, considering the existing challenges and ensuring the protection of our people from all threats.”
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Nadim Madkhana, director of Border Security in Homs, told AFP: “The military operations are nearing completion,” explaining that “this campaign focuses on regaining control of strategic border areas that have long been battlegrounds with armed groups.”
He emphasized: “The Border Security Administration remains on high alert in the region, fearing the return of armed groups that have entered Lebanon.”
Good Coordination
Nadim Madkhana stated: “There is good coordination between the Syrian army, Border Security, and the Lebanese army to prevent any escalation and avoid incidents along the shared border.”
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On Saturday, the Lebanese army announced that it was responding to gunfire from inside Syria targeting Lebanese territory.
However, it did not specify the exact source of the gunfire towards Lebanon.
On Monday, Moayad Al-Salama declared: “We confirm that we have not targeted Lebanese territory, despite our units being shelled by Hezbollah militias. Our operations have been limited to Syrian border villages, targeting armed smuggling gangs and their allies among factions and militias.”
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He added: “The former regime also turned the Syrian-Lebanese border into a corridor for drug trafficking in cooperation with Hezbollah militias, strengthening the presence of armed smuggling gangs in the border region.”
The western region commander of Border Security continued: “We have seized numerous shipments of weapons and drugs in border areas with Lebanon, which were en route for smuggling.”
He stated: “During our sweeping operation, we uncovered numerous farms, warehouses, and factories producing and packaging cannabis and captagon pills, as well as printing presses for counterfeit currency. This area was an economic lifeline for these criminal networks.”
Lebanon and Syria share a 330-kilometer border, much of which remains unmarked, especially in the northeast, making it a vulnerable area for smugglers, hunters, and refugees.
In December, Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, admitted that the group could no longer receive military supplies via Syria following al-Assad’s fall.
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