Syrian government officials and Hezbollah representatives are reported to have held secret face-to-face talks in Turkey aimed at calming tensions, according to multiple sources briefed on what is described as the first known meeting between the longtime foes. Reuters reports that the officials met secretly at least once last month, with the reporting attributed to six sources that include Syrian officials, a US official, and a senior Lebanese security source close to Hezbollah.
The talks are described as bringing together Syrian government representatives and Hezbollah, an Iran-aligned Lebanese militant group, in a bid to reduce friction. Al Jazeera says Syria denies that any “secret” meeting took place, responding to the reports by disputing the characterization and suggesting the claims are not accurate. Other outlet coverage, while also relying on the Reuters account, focuses on the purpose of the discussions rather than on Syria’s denial.
