$150 to $300 for a way into Lebanon: Inside the illegal crossings from Syria

Report by Lara El Hachem, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

From Tartus and Homs in Syria to Hekr Jenine in Akkar, a group traveled in an attempt to enter Lebanon illegally on Saturday morning. 

The group was spotted by the LBCI team on the banks of the Nahr al-Kabir River, which separates Lebanon and Syria, while the team was preparing a report on human smuggling from Syria into Lebanon.

LBCI spoke to some of those who crossed, away from the camera. They included both Sunnis and Alawites. Some had sought refuge in Lebanon in search of work, while others were driven by the difficult economic situation and fears of persecution to leave their country.

As for the smuggler, he abandoned them midway after the Lebanese army arrived.

They said the smuggler charged between $150 and $300 per person. Some came to try their luck, while others had already secured jobs in Lebanon.

The Lebanese army intercepts such cases daily along the northern border with Syria, which stretches for about 100 kilometers, before handing those who entered illegally over to General Security.

But despite the army's strict measures, risking illegal entry remains an option for many because of the difficult living conditions in Syria, as a Syrian worker who entered Lebanon illegally told LBCI.

As a result, illegal entry remains the less costly option, sparing migrants the fees required for legal residency and the difficulty of securing a sponsor.

It is a crisis that cannot be addressed through border controls alone. It also requires tighter enforcement against illegal employment, particularly by local authorities.