MP Elias Hankach on Friday marked the anniversary of the withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon by calling for the resolution of several lingering issues that he said remain essential for Lebanon’s full sovereignty.

In a post on X, Hankach said this year's commemoration is particularly significant following "the fall of the criminal regime of Bashar al-Assad." However, he emphasized that true celebration remains out of reach until several unresolved issues between Lebanon and Syria are finally addressed.

Among them, Hankach highlighted the need to uncover the fate of Lebanese detainees still missing in Syrian prisons. He also urged swift action to secure the return of displaced Syrians who are still living in Lebanon back to their homeland and called for the long-delayed demarcation of the land border between the two countries.

Syria’s nearly three-decade military presence in Lebanon, which began during the Lebanese civil war in 1976, formally ended in 2005 following widespread demonstrations and international pressure in the wake of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.