strange problem with named.conf

[Jean-François Bachelet]

Hello folks ^^)

First I'm new to this list so greatings to all of you :)
like my email lets know I'm french, in France :)

Now; the problem said in subject :

I've setup a Debian 12 server (not in production yet) and got strange 
problems with the installed bind9.18.28-1 deb12u2-Debian (extended 
support version) when testing its config with named-checkconf...

> # named-checkconf
> 
> named-checkconf
> /etc/bind/named.conf:10: missing ';' before 'include'

named.service do not start due to this error...

here is the conf : (line numbers from nano)

>  1 // This is the primary configuration file for the BIND DNS server named.
>  2 //
>  3 // Please read /usr/share/doc/bind9/README.Debian.gz for information on the 
>  4 // structure of BIND configuration files in Debian, *BEFORE* you customize 
>  5 // this configuration file.
>  6 //
>  7 // If you are just adding zones, please do that in /etc/bind/named.conf.local
>  8
>  9 include "/etc/bind/named.conf.options";
> 10 include "/etc/bind/named.conf.local";
> 11 include "/etc/bind/named.conf.default-zones";
> 12 include "/etc/bind/named.conf.internal-zones";

as you can see the semicolon is here at end of line 9 !
there is no strange invisible chars anywhere also...

BTW, testing this config return the said error ??? why ?

so I've tried something just to see what...

>>  1 // This is the primary configuration file for the BIND DNS server named.
>>  2 //
>>  3 // Please read /usr/share/doc/bind9/README.Debian.gz for information on the 
>>  4 // structure of BIND configuration files in Debian, *BEFORE* you customize 
>>  5 // this configuration file.
>>  6 //
>>  7 // If you are just adding zones, please do that in /etc/bind/named.conf.local
>>  8
>>  9 include "/etc/bind/named.conf.options";
>> 10 ; include "/etc/bind/named.conf.local";
>> 11 include "/etc/bind/named.conf.default-zones";
>> 12 include "/etc/bind/named.conf.internal-zones";

and retested the conf : no errors !?!

now if I erase the end of line 9 ';' and retest : error is back...

and named.service doesn't start (failed)

I'm puzzled there...

What can trigger that error when the syntax is correct firt hand ?

do you have an idea on this ?

Thanks by advance for the help :)

regards,
Jeff