ما طبيعة زيارة الشيباني إلى بنغازي الليبية وما الملفات المطروحة في المباحثات؟ | سوريا اليوم

Summary

Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani visited Benghazi after reopening Syria’s embassy in Tripoli on 30 August. He met Saddam Haftar, a senior Libyan military figure, and was accompanied by the head of Syria’s General Intelligence Directorate. The discussions reportedly covered bilateral ties, security cooperation, missing people, and the possible reopening of a Syrian consulate in Benghazi.

Diplomatic and consular ties

The guests described the Benghazi visit as a step toward restoring long-standing Syrian-Libyan relations and making consular services more accessible to Syrians living in eastern Libya. They stressed that Damascus was dealing with Libya as one country, rather than aligning itself with either side in the country’s political division.

Security cooperation

Ahmed al-Hawas said the presence of the Syrian intelligence chief suggested that security matters were central to the talks, including cooperation against ISIS and other shared concerns. Jibril al-Obeidi argued that Benghazi was a key venue for security discussions because of the Libyan Army’s presence there.

Missing people

Al-Hawas emphasized the humanitarian importance of finding Syrians who disappeared in Libya and clarifying whether they were killed or otherwise lost. Al-Obeidi said the issue should include Libyans missing in Syria as well, and suggested that direct intelligence cooperation could help establish who the missing people were and what happened to them.

Political balance and historical ties

Both guests presented the visit as an effort to normalize relations without becoming involved in Libya’s east–west rivalry. They differed, however, over how Benghazi had viewed the Syrian revolution during earlier stages of the Libyan conflict. Al-Obeidi disputed al-Hawas’s characterization and said Benghazi had supported the revolution from its early days. Al-Hawas clarified that he had been referring to political alignments during a particular period.

Economic links

Al-Hawas said renewed relations could revive trade and joint ventures, pointing to earlier Syrian-Libyan activity in areas such as transport and agriculture. He also noted that a Benghazi consulate would spare Syrians in eastern Libya the long journey to Tripoli for official services.

Presenters and contributors

• Presenter: Nour (surname not stated in the subtitles)
• Ahmed al-Hawas, political writer, joining from Damascus
• Jibril al-Obeidi, writer and academic, joining from Benghazi