DUBAI: Representatives of the Syrian government and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah held direct talks in Türkiye in an attempt to de-escalate tensions between the two sides, according to six informed sources quoted by Reuters.

It marks the first such meeting between the two parties, who have long been adversaries. The sources, which included two Syrian officials, a US official, and a senior Lebanese security source close to Hezbollah, told Reuters that Syrian officials and representatives of the Iranian-allied group met secretly at least once last month.

For years, Hezbollah sent fighters to Syria to defend President Bashar al-Assad’s government during the country’s civil war.