Lebanon signed an agreement with Syria on Friday to hand over around 300 convicts to Damascus, a move seen as key to turning a new page in relations between the two countries.

Overcrowded Lebanese prisons hold more than 2,200 Syrians detained on various charges.

Many are still awaiting trial, while hundreds accused of terrorism-related offenses, including attacks on Lebanese forces, have been tried in military courts.

Others are in custody over alleged membership in jihadist or armed groups opposed to former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who was backed by Lebanon’s Hezbollah group during Syria’s civil war.

Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri and Syrian Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais announced the agreement at a joint news conference in Beirut.

Wais called the deal “an important step on the path to justice” for convicts who have spent long periods in prison and whose cases were among the most legally complex.

The agreement applies to about 300 convicts, while the remaining detainees will require lengthy legal procedures before similar arrangements can be reached, Wais said.

The deal reinforces “the trust and political will that already exists between the two countries,” he added.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said on X that the move was “a historic milestone” toward resolving the issue and “a starting point for robust strategic relations.”

‘Right to request retrial’

Lebanese authorities said eligible convicts, including those who have spent at least 10 years in prison, will be transferred to Syria to serve the remainder of their sentences.

Syrian Foreign Ministry official Mohammed al-Ahmed told state television the agreement covers all felonies except rape and murder.

“Those transferred to Syrian prisons have the right to request a retrial,” he said, adding that transfers would take place after consular procedures are completed.

Mitri told AFP that cooperation with Syria extended beyond the prisoner issue, with officials working to “resolve all common issues that will set bilateral relations right.”

The first step following the agreement will be a cabinet decision to abolish the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council, a body created during Assad’s rule, he said.

Authorities will also review what Mitri described as unfair agreements concluded during the period of Syrian influence in Lebanon, as well as the demarcation of land and maritime borders.

Syrian forces entered Lebanon in 1976 as part of an Arab force intended to end the Lebanese civil war, which had begun a year earlier.

Instead, Syria became the dominant military and political power in Lebanon, exerting influence over much of public life.

Syrian troops withdrew in 2005 after intense pressure following the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, a killing widely attributed to Damascus and its ally Hezbollah.