Syria Suspends Embassy Operations in Lebanon Following Passport Forgery Allegations


The Syrian Embassy in Lebanon announced on Saturday the suspension of all consular services indefinitely. The move comes just a day after two relatives of Syria's deposed president, Bashar al-Assad, were detained at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport for allegedly possessing forged passports.
The announcement, made via the embassy’s official Facebook page, cited directives from Syria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs but did not specify the reasons behind the decision. However, Lebanese security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that the alleged forgery of the passports—belonging to the wife and daughter of one of Assad's cousins—had reportedly been facilitated at the Syrian Embassy in Beirut.

The suspension of consular services follows heightened scrutiny at the border. On the same day, Lebanese authorities deported dozens of Syrian nationals, including former officers of Assad's regime, back to Syria. The individuals had been apprehended for illegal entry into Lebanon, according to Lebanese officials and the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

These developments highlight the challenges surrounding Syria's complex political and humanitarian crisis, which has seen millions of Syrians flee to neighboring countries, including Lebanon, since the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011. Lebanon hosts one of the largest Syrian refugee populations, further straining its economic and political stability.

The Syrian Embassy’s suspension of consular services is expected to cause disruptions for Syrian nationals in Lebanon who rely on the mission for official documentation and travel permits. Critics fear this could exacerbate the plight of Syrians residing in Lebanon, many of whom already face legal and economic hardships.

As the situation unfolds, it underscores the lingering regional tensions and unresolved issues stemming from Syria's decade-long conflict. Lebanese and Syrian officials have yet to comment publicly on the embassy’s suspension or the alleged passport forgery scandal.

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