Syrian refugees in Lebanon begin heading home after fall of Assad

CGTN Europe

Since 2011, Syria’s civil war has forced more than 40 million people to flee the country.  Most sought refuge in neighboring countries such as Lebanon. But now some of the one million refugees have begun heading home.  CGTN’s Zahraa Alderzi has the full report.   #syria #lebanon #assad

Transcript

00:00Hundreds of Syrians, including refugees, started leaving Lebanon after opposition forces took

00:06control of the Syrian capital, Damascus, through the only available crossing, the Al-Masna

00:11Crossing, which connects the capitals of the two countries.

00:15This is the second wave of return after around 400,000 people left during the Hezbollah-Israeli

00:22conflict in Lebanon.

00:24According to official figures, the numbers of Syrian refugees in Lebanon exceeded two

00:29million people, including nearly 300,000 who are not officially registered with the UNHCR.

00:41We miss Syria so much. We can't describe our joy. My children were born here. They don't

00:46know Syria. They didn't drink its water. I asked my daughter, where are you from? She

00:51tells me from Syria. Hope God doesn't forgive Assad for making us leave our own country.

00:59I left Syria in 2016, and it feels good now that I'm returning to my country. In the end,

01:06no matter how long it takes, it's still our country. I can't describe my joy.

01:12Many reasons had pushed Syrians, especially young men, to leave the country. These include

01:18fear of opposing the Assad regime, escape compulsory military service, which since the

01:24outbreak of the conflict in Syria had no time limit, as well as the terrible economic

01:30situation.

01:34Indescribable joy. What can I tell you? I left Syria in 2014. I'm going back to Damascus.

01:41I miss it.

01:44I'm Manther from Sweden. Our happiness is great. I left Syria two years ago. Everyone

01:50is happy, as you can see. And now we're going back.

01:54Lebanon's northern provinces recorded a displacement movement from border villages inside Syria

02:00to the city of Hermel, opposite the Syrian town of Qusayr. Meanwhile, the Lebanese army

02:06reportedly reinforced its presence to keep the newly displaced people in the area.

02:15We were in Syria at night. We were surprised that they told us to get out of our village.

02:20And we came to Lebanon, and Lebanon never received us. Honestly, the situation was very

02:25bad.

02:26Lebanon's general security has directed that restrictions be displaced on the entry of

02:33Syrians into Lebanon. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has called for tightening the

02:38border situation and distancing Lebanon from the repercussions of the rapid changes in

02:44Syria.

02:45Despite Lebanese attempts to distance themselves from the repercussions, they cannot be completely

02:52avoided due to geographical and popular ties, as well as the decades-long of the Syrian

02:58regime's role in Lebanon.

03:00Zahra Edderzi, CGTN, Beirut.

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