900 Syrian Refugees in Shebaa Prepare to Return Home

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The National News Agency said on Saturday that some 900 Syrian refugees in the border towns of Shebaa and al-Arqoub have started preparing for their repatriation to neighbouring home country in Syria which will take place later on Saturday.

Displaced men, women and children of all ages in Shebaa and the rest of the Arqoub villages have gathered early on Saturday in the courtyard of the town's public school, as they waited for Syrian buses provided by the Syrian government to take them to their hometowns, said NNA.

The buses are expected to arrive through the Masnaa border crossing to Shebaa, it added.

Security forces checked the identity papers of those about to make the journey back to Syria.

General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim arrived to Shebaa on a surprise visit to supervise over the repatriation process, as he “lended a listening ear” to the refugees and their needs before they returned, said NNA.

“The coming phase will witness the return of hundreds of thousands of refugees to their homes in coordinated efforts between Lebanon and the Russian initiative,” he said.

“For our part, we always strive to facilitate a safe return for all, and we are working to resolve any problems they face with the Syrian authorities so that they return with all comfort and security,” he added.

Seven years into Syria's war, Lebanon hosts around 1.5 million Syrian refugees, compared with a local population of 4.5 million.

Over the past few months, more than 800 Syrians have left Lebanon in similar operations organised by the governments of Beirut and Damascus.

Several thousand have also independently left in recent years.

Syria's ally Russia has also put forward plans to the United States to cooperate for the safe return of refugees to Syria.

Moscow has proposed the establishment of working groups in Lebanon and Jordan, to where many refugees have fled, a Russian defence ministry official said on Friday.

Comments 1
Thumb Southern......... over 5 years

900! we hope that s.o.s is among them!