Turkey seeks to use Syria’s extremists to undermine Lebanon-Cyprus ties: Report

Turkey eyes controlling the north of Lebanon after Ankara-backed extremist militants came to power in neighboring Syria, amid its “deep concern” over how any improvement in ties between Beirut and Cyprus could counter its influence in the Mediterranean, a report says.

In a report on Monday, The Cradle cited a senior Lebanese source as stating that Ankara is deeply concerned about Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s recent visit to its arch-foe Cyprus and has plans to “blackmail” Beirut, if it adopts any official positioning that threatens its geopolitical position in the Mediterranean.”

“Ankara expressed deep concern over Aoun's visit to the Cypriot capital, Nicosia, and viewed it as a worrying sign of Beirut's potential openness to Mediterranean and European partnerships that are inconsistent with its agenda in the Eastern Mediterranean,” the source said.

The source added that the visit “revealed files of political and security blackmail prepared by Turkey for use later if Beirut decides to pursue strategic options that conflict with Ankara's interests in Lebanon and the region.”

The source said northern Lebanon, which Ankara sees as “its traditional area of influence”, is witnessing “a worrying increase in the number of displaced Syrians with complex security backgrounds.”

The source also referred to a rise in cross-border arms smuggling operations, which are taking place “under the direct sponsorship and cover of Syrian and Turkish security agencies.”

According to the report, Ankara has “interest in the port of Tripoli”, which is the largest port in the Mediterranean in terms of geographical and maritime-wise potential, and has its eye on the Qlayaat Airport, near the Syrian border, as well as large areas of the Akkar Plain, rich in minerals and natural resources.

A day after Aoun’s visit to Cyprus last week, a Syrian source threatened to revive the issue of the repatriation of thousands of extremists, linked to the groups now affiliated with the new regime in Damascus, who are held in Lebanon’s Roumieh prison.

The source also hinted at the potential closure of the Syrian-Lebanese border. “If you want to breathe air via Cyprus, you will suffocate by land from Damascus.”

Syria run by extremist ‘sheikhs’ not statesmen under HTS regime: Report

Local sources say Syria is governed by extremist “sheikhs” under the Hay

The Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham militant group, along with other militant groups, seized control of Damascus on December 8, 2024, forcing President Bashar al-Assad to leave the country.

Recently, reports have said that extremist militants from Syria have been infiltrating Lebanon. The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), however, denied these reports on Sunday and said they are working to ensure the security of the border.

There has been growing concern about potential ambitions by Syria’s new extremist-dominated military to take over swathes of northern Lebanon.

Earlier this month, Israel’s i24 reported that the Ankara-allied regime in Syria is demanding control over the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli during ongoing talks between Damascus and Tel Aviv to reach a normalization agreement by 2026.

Syria is not demanding that Israel return parts of the Golan Heights that it occupied in 1967, Israeli media said.

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