Lebanon, UK hold talks to strengthen military cooperation

​​​​​​​By Iyad Nabolsi and Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) - Lebanon's Acting Army Commander Maj. Gen. Hassan Odeh held talks with a British delegation Tuesday, focusing on enhancing military cooperation between the two countries, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency NNA.

A statement on the Lebanese Army's X account said Odeh met Admr. Edward Ahlgren, British Defense Ministry’s senior adviser for the Middle East, who led the delegation. The meeting also included Victoria Dunne, Chargé d'Affaires at the British Embassy in Beirut and Charles Smith, the British defense attaché.

Odeh received the delegation at his Yarzeh office in southeastern Beirut.

Discussions centered on “ways to strengthen military ties” between Lebanon and the UK.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun also received the delegation earlier, according to the official Lebanese news agency.

The meeting addressed Lebanon's current situation, regional developments and military cooperation.

Ahlgren expressed the UK's commitment to completing the construction of watchtowers along Lebanon’s border with Syria to help enhance stability.

The watchtowers stretch from Aarida in the north to beyond Rashaya in the southeast, totaling approximately 39, including fixed and mobile units, each providing a 360-degree surveillance radius of up to 10 kilometers (6 miles).

In December 2014, then-Prime Minister Tammam Salam announced the project and said British officers had rapidly set up 12 monitoring towers along the eastern border after security concerns arose from infiltrations by terror groups, including Daesh.​​​​​​​

The towers allow the army to better monitor movements on the border area and establish an advanced defense position to counter threats.​​​​​​​