Lebanon returns hundreds of refugees to Syria
Early morning border crossing as voluntary repatriation scheme begins for those who fled civil war
Hundreds of Syrian refugees left Lebanon and returned home on Wednesday at the start of a voluntary repatriation program run by Lebanese security services.
Carrying suitcases, furniture, power generators, fridges and even chickens, about 700 Syrians who had agreed to cross over gathered from early morning in the desolate northeastern border zone.
Those who had been living in Arsal crossed at Al-Zamrani into western Qalamoun, while others who had been living in Nabatieh returned via the Masnaa crossing.
Lisa Abou Khaled, a spokesperson for the UN refugee agency UNHCR, told Arab News that it was not “facilitating or promoting” the repatriation program. “Nonetheless, thousands of refugees choose to exercise their right to return each year,” she said. “UNHCR supports and calls for respect of refugees’ fundamental human right to freely and voluntarily return to their country of origin at a time of their choosing and in line with the international principles of the voluntary, dignified, and safe return.”
Lebanon’s General Security agency is running the program to return Syrians who have expressed their wish to return.
Lebanon is home to more than 800,000 Syrians registered with the UN refugee agency. At its peak, Lebanon hosted around 1.2 million.
In 2018, the General Security agency launched a mechanism through which any Syrian refugee could signal a desire to return home.
About 400,000 Syrians returned home under that pathway but it was put on hold with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Outgoing Lebanese President Michel Aoun revived it this month.