UN disarmament envoy Angela Kane arrived Friday in the Lebanese capital from neighbouring Syria and immediately left for Istanbul, a Lebanese security source told AFP.

Kane was sent to Damascus on Saturday by UN chief Ban Ki-moon to press for an inquiry into alleged chemical weapons attacks near the Syrian capital on August 21.

"(Kane) arrived in Lebanon via the Masnaa border crossing with Syria at around midday and then she immediately headed to Beirut airport to take a flight to Istanbul," the source said.