From December 8, the day after the fall of the Bashar el-Assad regime in Damascus, the rebel factions called on Syrian refugees, exiles and expatriates, estimated at six million people, including two million living in Lebanon, to return to their country. Against all expectations, this announcement triggered a reverse movement. Tens of thousands of Syrians fled to Lebanon in the days following the regime’s overthrow.
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From our correspondent in Beirut,
Since December 8, nearly 90,000 people have crossed the border between Syria and the Lebanonaccording to informed sources. Among them, two thirds are Syrians, mainly Shiites, from Saydé Zeinab, south of Damascus, as well as the regions of Nobol and Zahraa, north of Aleppo. There are also several thousand Alawites from Homs, as well as a few hundred Christians who have found refuge in Lebanon.
The last third is made up of Lebanese, divided into two distinct groups. On the one hand, these are the inhabitants of Lebanese villages located in Syrian territory, in the region of the Orontes basin, where they have always lived. These populations fled for fear of reprisals or abuses committed by the rebels. On the other hand, fighters from Hezbollah and their families, encouraged in recent years to settle in the Syrian region of Qussair and in the province of Homs, left their homes to take refuge in Lebanon.
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The status of the displaced still pending
The majority of displaced Syrians and Lebanese have settled in border areas, notably in Hermel, a Hezbollah stronghold located in the far north of the Bekaa plain, or in Baalbeck, further south. The displaced Lebanese benefit from help from the social structures of Hezbollah and the government, the latter having mobilized part of the international funds received during the war to help them.
On the other hand, the displaced Syrians have received no assistance from the Lebanese state, which refuses to grant them official refugee status. Currently, they are housed in mosques or Shiite religious centers, and rely solely on help from local associations. International NGOs as well as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will only intervene on condition that these displaced people are recognized as refugees, a status categorically refused by the Lebanese authorities.
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Flight of senior Syrian officials?
As for figures from the former Syrian regime, security sources affirm that Lebanon is not a sanctuary for senior officials of the Syrian regime. Bashar al-Assad. While some may have entered illegally, their number remains limited and their safety in the country remains uncertain. On the other hand, several businessmen and personalities close to the old regime arrived legally in Lebanon. However, they do not plan to settle there permanently. These individuals appear to be in transit, waiting to obtain visas or travel documents for destinations such as the United Arab Emirates, Iraq or Egypt.
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