Syria returns begin: Lebanon's refugee camps see departures

Report by Joe Farchakh, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

LBCI accompanied Lebanon's Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed during a field visit to Haouch El Oumaraa, specifically to Al-Sakr camp, providing exclusive footage of the government's plan for the organized return of Syrian refugees to their homeland.

The first phase of the repatriation program officially launched on July 29, with the backing of the UNHCR, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and under the supervision of Lebanon's General Security. 

While the return remains limited in scope at this early stage, developments in the Al-Sakr camp show a notable rise in the number of refugees heading back to Syria.

Established in 2012, Al-Sakr camp originally sheltered 65 families across 55 tents. Today, only 13 families remain, living in 12 tents.

Despite the fall of the Assad regime in December and the lifting of international sanctions on Syria, these political shifts alone have not been enough to encourage widespread returns. 

Even with financial incentives—$100 per registered refugee upon departure and $400 per family upon crossing the border—two key factors continue to obstruct a mass return: the unresolved political crisis in Syria and the extensive destruction still plaguing the country.

The situation in another Syrian refugee camp, referred to as camp X, mirrors that of Al-Sakr. Since 2012, camp X has seen a dramatic decrease in its population. Once home to around 400 refugees across 70 tents, it now houses just 160 people in 18 tents.

While the government's organized return initiative is underway, achieving sustainable repatriation will require more than financial support and logistical coordination. 

Long-term solutions must address Syria's deep-rooted political and economic challenges, as well as the reconstruction of areas devastated by years of conflict.