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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