Lebanon begins first phase of Syrian refugee returns via border crossing

Lebanon launched on Tuesday the first phase of its government plan to repatriate Syrian refugees, with buses departing through the Masnaa (Jdeidet Yabous) border crossing.

According to Lebanon’s state news agency, the repatriation is being carried out in coordination between the Lebanese General Security Directorate and the Syrian government. The agency said the returns are part of a broader government strategy to reduce the number of Syrian refugees in the country.

Two buses carrying dozens of Syrian refugees departed from the gathering point in the town of Bar Elias, at the Nahda Club stadium in eastern Lebanon, heading toward Syria, Anadolu’s correspondent reported.

Syria’s official news agency, SANA, confirmed that 72 Syrians returned to the country through the Jdeidet Yabous crossing in Damascus countryside, as part of the voluntary return program from Lebanon.

The organized and secure returns are taking place with the involvement of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Lebanese Red Cross, and several humanitarian organizations, according to SANA.

In June, the Lebanese government unveiled a new multi-phase plan to return Syrian refugees, dividing the process into organized and unorganized returns. Under the organized scheme, names are registered and buses are provided, with each returning refugee receiving USD100 in assistance.

In the unorganized process, refugees set their own departure dates and arrange transportation themselves, but still receive USD100 upon return.

Lebanon hosts an estimated 1.8 million Syrian refugees, including about 880,000 registered with UNHCR, according to Lebanese officials.