US envoy denies claims Washington encouraging Syria to send forces to disarm Hezbollah

US diplomat Tom Barrack on Tuesday denied reports that Washington had encouraged Syria to consider sending forces into eastern Lebanon to help disarm Hezbollah.

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Citing five people briefed on the matter, Reuters reported that the US hda been urging Syria to consider sending forces into its neighboring country, but Damascus was reluctant to embark on such a mission for fear of being sucked into the war in the Middle East and inflaming sectarian tensions.

In a post on X, the US envoy to Syria and Turkey said the reports “regarding the United States encouraging Syria to send forces into Lebanon is false and inaccurate.”

Reuters said it “spoke to 10 sources for this article – six Syrian officials and government advisors, two Western diplomats, a European official and a Western intelligence source”.

They all reportedly said Syria’s government had been cautiously considering a cross-border operation but remained hesitant.

US encouragement for a Syrian operation in eastern Lebanon and Syria’s hesitation to carry one out have not previously been reported.

A US State Department spokesperson declined comment on “private diplomatic communications,” and referred Reuters to the Syrian and Lebanese governments for comments on their operations.

With Reuters

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US encourages Syrian action against Hezbollah, Damascus is hesitant, sources say