War-displaced Syrians in Lebanon face a difficult dilemma as specter of a new conflict looms

Special War-displaced Syrians in Lebanon face a difficult dilemma as specter of a new conflict looms
Displaced by civil war, Syrians must now endure escalating violence in southern Lebanon or risk returning home. (Getty Images)
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Updated 03 September 2024
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War-displaced Syrians in Lebanon face a difficult dilemma as specter of a new conflict looms

War-displaced Syrians in Lebanon face a difficult dilemma as specter of a new conflict looms
  • Escalating hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel are deepening the plight of displaced Syrians, already living in extreme poverty
  • Refugees must now choose between onward migration, returning to an unsafe homeland, or remaining in a potential conflict zone

LONDON: Out of the frying pan and into the fire, Syrian refugees in Lebanon, who have found little respite since the war erupted in their home country in 2011, are now caught in the crossfire between Hezbollah and the Israeli military as the region braces for a potential all-out war.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, at least 31 Syrians, including two women and eight children, have been killed in Lebanon since Oct. 8, when Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia began trading fire along the Lebanese border.




Damaged buildings following an Israeli strike in the Dahiyeh suburb in Beirut on August 9, 2024. (Getty Images) 

“The irony of escaping death in Homs (in Syria) only to face it here sometimes makes me laugh,” Nour, a pharmacist who fled to Beirut with her brother and daughter in 2013, told Arab News.

“Now, not only do we have to endure the unbearable living conditions and discrimination by the authorities, but we also have to live in fear of bombs falling from above.”

Syrian refugees in Lebanon now face a cruel dilemma whether to stay and risk deportation to Syria, where conflict and persecution continue, embarking on a perilous sea journey to Europe, or risk remaining in an impoverished nation on the cusp of war.

“Tragically, we have already witnessed the loss of lives among refugees in southern Lebanon, underscoring the grave dangers they face daily,” Tania Baban, the Lebanon country director of the US-based charity MedGlobal, told Arab News.




Syrian refugees working near Lebanon’s border with Israel wait to be evacuated to a safe location, on October 13, 2023. (AFP)

On Aug. 17, an Israeli airstrike on Wadi Al-Kafour in southern Lebanon killed 10 Syrian civilians and damaged residential buildings, the AFP news agency reported. The Israeli army claimed it hit a Hezbollah weapons storage facility in the Lebanese city of Nabatieh.

Baban said the armed exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah “have plunged Syrian refugees into an even more dire situation, leaving them with impossible choices.

“As the prospect of a full-scale Middle Eastern conflict looms, these refugees find themselves trapped in a perilous dilemma,” she said.

“They must choose between remaining in Lebanon and risk becoming collateral damage in an intensifying conflict, or returning to Syria, where safety is still a distant hope and not an option for most.”




Children sit by as a woman washes dishes in a plastic basin outside a tent at a makeshift camp for Syrian refugees in Talhayat in the Akkar district in north Lebanon on October 26, 2022. (AFP)

Tensions reached boiling point in recent weeks after a senior Hezbollah commander, Fouad Shokr, was killed in Beirut in late July in a suspected Israeli airstrike.

On Aug. 25, Israel carried out a “pre-emptive” wave of airstrikes across southern Lebanon as Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets and drones at Israel, marking the start of the militia’s retaliation for its slain commander.

Combined with Iran’s pledge to avenge the death of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in another suspected Israeli airstrike in Tehran on July 31, a regional war involving Israel, Iran, and several of Iran’s militia proxies, seems more likely than ever.




A Syrian refugee woman living with others in makeshift tents in south Lebanon, hugs her child after an Israeli air strike targeted the outskirt of town of Burj Al-Muluk , some 18kms from the town of Nabatiyeh on July 20, 2024. (AFP)

Although the low-level conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has been largely confined to the Israel-Lebanon border area, with southern Lebanese villages suffering the worst of the damage, Baban of MedGlobal says the escalation “is not just a localized issue.

“It’s affecting many parts of the country, with devastating effects on both Syrian refugees and Lebanese internally displaced persons, as well as other vulnerable Lebanese communities,” she said.

IN NUMBERS

  • 1.5m Syrian refugees living in Lebanon, including 815,000 registered with UNHCR.
  • 9/10 Refugee households in Lebanon who are living in extreme poverty.

With Lebanon’s economy in crisis and with insufficient means to help both Syrians and displaced Lebanese, “the potential for conflict between these groups grows, threatening to further destabilize an already fragile nation,” she added.

As Lebanon braces for the possibility of all-out war, MedGlobal is collaborating with the Lebanese Ministry of Health to establish a command and control center to coordinate and streamline response efforts across the country.

“This center is vital in ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently and that the most urgent medical needs are met with precision and speed,” she said.

MedGlobal’s efforts are currently concentrated in the West Bekaa region, “where we are providing critical medical care through a primary health care center.

“This facility is a lifeline, delivering essential health services to Syrian refugees, vulnerable Lebanese communities, and, most recently, families displaced from the southern border.”

Although many rights groups consider Syria too unsafe for the repatriation of refugees, there are areas of the country where fighting has long since ceased that could offer security not just for Syrian returnees but also for many Lebanese displaced by Israeli attacks.

Indeed, the intensifying exchanges have prompted some Lebanese families displaced from southern towns and villages to consider seeking shelter in neighboring Syria, where rents are often cheaper than in the safer parts of Lebanon.




Syrian refugees returning from Lebanon to their country through the Al-Zamrani crossing on May 14, 2024. (AFP)

For Syrian families unable to return to their home country, fearing detention or conscription, onward migration from Lebanon to Europe is viewed as the next best option. However, irregular migration is becoming increasingly difficult.

In early May, the EU announced a €1 billion ($1.1 billion) aid package partly aimed at strengthening Lebanese security services to help curb irregular migration across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe.

On Aug. 19, the Lebanese army said it arrested 230 Syrians who were attempting to reach Europe aboard a smuggling vessel. The military also conducted raids in the town of Bebnine and the Arida beach in northern Lebanon, where boats headed for Cyprus are often launched.




Greek fishermen rescue Syrian Kurdish refugees as the boat they had boarded sinks off the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkiye on October 30, 2015. (AFP)

Amnesty International criticized the EU-Lebanon deal, calling on world leaders to ensure funds pledged to support Syrian refugees in Lebanon “do not contribute to human rights abuses, including forcible deportations to Syria.”

The human rights monitor said the deal seems to have “emboldened Lebanese authorities to intensify their ruthless campaign targeting refugees with hateful discourse, forced deportations and stifling measures on residency and labor.”

The anti-Syrian rhetoric employed by Lebanese politicians has provoked an uptick in violence and harassment against refugees. Meanwhile, authorities have increased deportations and imposed tighter work and residency rules, leaving thousands with little choice but to leave.




A girl speaks with another as he carries a young boy while walking past tents at a makeshift camp for Syrian refugees in Talhayat in the Akkar district in north Lebanon on October 26, 2022. (AFP)

In June, Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said “most Syrians” in the country would be deported, claiming that his government was “in the process of putting in place a solution” to the refugee issue.

After issuing eviction orders in June, Lebanese security forces conducted door-to-door checks in the northern villages of Btourram and Hasroun to confirm that Syrians living there without legal documentation had vacated their residences.

On Aug. 28, the Lebanese National News Agency also reported that security forces had evicted Syrians from their homes in the village of Rashkida in the northern Batroun district.

As a result, dozens of Syrian families have been left homeless, forcing them to seek refuge either with relatives in other parts of Lebanon or in makeshift camps, with serious implications for their health and well-being.




A Syrian refugee walks with her children at a refugee camp set up outside the Lebanese village of Miniara, in the northern Akkar region near the border with Syria, on May 20, 2024. (AFP)

MedGlobal’s Baban said that “while our immediate focus is on addressing these critical healthcare needs, we are acutely aware of the long-term impacts of this crisis, including the inevitable rise in mental health challenges.

“Although psychological support is not currently part of our services, we fully recognize its significance and are committed to considering a comprehensive mental health support program in our future response efforts.”

She added that the situation is becoming “increasingly untenable, and the urgency for international support and attention cannot be overstated.

“We are doing everything within our power to alleviate the suffering, but the scale of this crisis demands a coordinated global response to prevent further human tragedy.”

 


Oman announces US-Houthi ceasefire deal

A US F/A-18 Super Hornet attack fighter jet takes off from the US Navy’s Nimitz-class USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier.
A US F/A-18 Super Hornet attack fighter jet takes off from the US Navy’s Nimitz-class USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier.
Updated 11 min 3 sec ago
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Oman announces US-Houthi ceasefire deal

A US F/A-18 Super Hornet attack fighter jet takes off from the US Navy’s Nimitz-class USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier.
  • “They said please don’t bomb us any more and we’re not going to attack your ships,” Trump said
  • There was no immediate response from the Houthis

WASHINGTON: The United States and Yemen’s Houthis have reached a ceasefire agreement, mediator Oman announced Tuesday, saying the deal would ensure “freedom of navigation” in the Red Sea where the militia has attacked shipping.
“Following recent discussions and contacts... with the aim of de-escalation, efforts have resulted in a ceasefire agreement between the two sides,” said Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi in a statement posted online, adding that “neither side will target the other... ensuring freedom of navigation and the smooth flow of international commercial shipping” in the Red Sea.

Earlier on Tuesday, President Donald Trump said that the US will stop bombing the Houthis in Yemen after the Iran-aligned group agreed to stop interrupting important shipping lanes in the Middle East.
In an Oval Office meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump announced the Houthis have said that they no longer want to fight but did not elaborate on the message.
“They said please don’t bomb us any more and we’re not going to attack your ships,” Trump said.
The Houthis have been firing at Israel and at shipping in the Red Sea since Israel began its military offensive against Hamas in Gaza after the Palestinian militant group’s deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The US president said Washington will take the Houthis’ word that they would not be blowing up ships any longer.
Tensions have been high since the Gaza war began, but have risen further since a Houthi missile landed near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday, prompting Israeli airstrikes on Yemen’s Hodeidah port on Monday.
The Israeli military carried out an airstrike on Yemen’s main airport in Sanaa on Tuesday, its second attack in two days on the Houthis after a surge in tensions between the group and Israel.


The bodies of a Belgian mother and her son were recovered in southern Jordan after flash flooding

The bodies of a Belgian mother and her son were recovered in southern Jordan after flash flooding
Updated 06 May 2025
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The bodies of a Belgian mother and her son were recovered in southern Jordan after flash flooding

The bodies of a Belgian mother and her son were recovered in southern Jordan after flash flooding
  • The mother and children had been part of a group of 18 tourists
  • Fourteen tourists, all Czechs, were rescued on Sunday

AMMAN: Search and rescue teams recovered the bodies of a Belgian mother and her son on Monday in Jordan, police said a day after the woman and her three children were reported missing in flash flooding. The other two children were found alive.
Sunday’s flooding in southern Jordan also led to the evacuation of hundreds of tourists from the Petra archaeological site, the country’s main tourist attraction.


The mother and children had been part of a group of 18 tourists who had been on an adventure trip in Wadi Al-Nakhil when they were caught up in the flash flood, Ma’an district local governor Hassan Al-Jabour told state media broadcaster Al-Mamlaka TV.
Fourteen tourists, all Czechs, were rescued on Sunday. Rescue crews located two of the children alive late Sunday, Al-Jabour said. The search and rescue operation was suspended at about 2 a.m. because of the complicated weather conditions and terrain. The bodies of the woman and her son were found Monday morning after the search resumed, he said.
Further details about the family and the ages of the children weren’t immediately available.
Jordan often experiences flash flooding as heavy seasonal rains send torrents of water through dry desert valleys. At least three people died in 2021 when floodwaters swept away their car, while more than 30 people in the Dead Sea region and other parts of Jordan were killed in flash flooding in 2018.


UAE president stresses regional peace during meeting with Turkish foreign minister

UAE president stresses regional peace during meeting with Turkish foreign minister
Updated 06 May 2025
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UAE president stresses regional peace during meeting with Turkish foreign minister

UAE president stresses regional peace during meeting with Turkish foreign minister
  • Leaders examined the strategic relationship between Ankara and Abu Dhabi

LONDON: UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan at the Qasr Al-Shati palace in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

They examined the strategic relationship between Ankara and Abu Dhabi, seeking ways to enhance it according to their mutual interests, the Emirates News Agency reported.

Sheikh Mohamed and Fidan discussed regional and international issues, highlighting developments in the Middle East. They stressed the necessity of fostering regional peace and stability in a way that benefits all nations.

The meeting was attended by several senior officials, including Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the deputy chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al-Nahyan, the adviser to the UAE president; Ali bin Hammad Al-Shamsi, the secretary-general of the Supreme Council for National Security; and Khalifa Shaheen Al-Marar, the minister of state.


Emir of Qatar discusses ties in phone call with India PM Modi

Emir of Qatar discusses ties in phone call with India PM Modi
Updated 06 May 2025
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Emir of Qatar discusses ties in phone call with India PM Modi

Emir of Qatar discusses ties in phone call with India PM Modi
  • The leaders shared perspectives on regional and international developments of mutual concern

LONDON: The Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani discussed ties with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a phone call on Tuesday.

The leaders discussed ways to strengthen the relationship between Doha and New Delhi. They also shared perspectives on regional and international developments of mutual concern, according to the Qatar News Agency.

Sheikh Tamim visited India last February to enhance bilateral collaboration between the two countries in areas such as trade, investment, energy, and finance.


UN urges probe into 'disturbing' video of abducted Libyan MP

UN urges probe into 'disturbing' video of abducted Libyan MP
Updated 06 May 2025
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UN urges probe into 'disturbing' video of abducted Libyan MP

UN urges probe into 'disturbing' video of abducted Libyan MP
  • UNSMIL said it was “alarmed” by Ibrahim el-Dirsi’s “enforced disappearance”
  • It described circulating images of his detention as “disturbing“

TRIPOLI: The UN mission in Libya on Tuesday called for an independent investigation into images of an abducted member of the country’s eastern-based parliament that showed signs of torture.
In a statement, UNSMIL said it was “alarmed” by Ibrahim el-Dirsi’s “enforced disappearance” and described circulating images of his detention as “disturbing.”
Dirsi, a member of the Libyan house of representatives, was kidnapped in May 2024 in Benghazi, Libya’s second largest city which he represents.
The North African country has been mired in unrest since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled dictator Muammar Qaddafi.
It remains split between the UN-recognized Government of National Unity (GNU) in Tripoli, and a rival eastern administration backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar.
On Monday, Libya’s Al-Ahrar TV aired photos and a video showing Dirsi, apparently in a prison cell, wearing only shorts and chained with a padlock around his neck.
UNSMIL said it had asked UN digital forensic experts to verify the footage’s authenticity.
Tripoli’s GNU described the conditions in the images as “degrading, shocking and inhumane.”
It criticized the “so-called General Command,” referring to Haftar’s forces, after the video appeared to show Dirsi pleading for forgiveness.
The pro-Haftar Al-Masar TV channel quoted lawmakers as saying the images were “fabricated” and “produced using artificial intelligence.”
The eastern-based interior ministry blamed “unidentified criminals affiliated with a gang,” saying the case was under “thorough investigation.”
UNSMIL also condemned “widespread and systemic abuses in detention facilities by law enforcement and security actors in Benghazi, Tripoli, Sabha, and other locations across Libya.”
It said “arbitrary detentions, abductions, torture, enforced disappearances and deaths in custody are serious human rights violations and may constitute international crimes that can be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court.”
“Libyan authorities must ensure these practices immediately cease and that perpetrators are brought to justice,” the statement added.
In 2019, Siham Sergewa, another representative in Benghazi, was abducted from her home shortly after criticizing Haftar on television. She remains missing.