Inside Lebanon’s human smuggling routes along the Syrian border

Report by Lara El Hachem, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

On the road toward the northern Lebanese-Syrian border, groups of young Syrian men can be seen walking separately after passing the Lebanese army checkpoint in Deir Ammar, before quickly leaving the area.

Shop owners in the area say human smuggling operations take place along this road every day. How do these individuals bypass the army checkpoint?

Coming from Aabdeh, before reaching the Deir Ammar checkpoint, those attempting to pass take a side road leading to higher ground. They then descend through wooded areas to rejoin the main road, bypassing the checkpoint.

Food scraps, water bottles and shoes lie among the trees, suggesting that people have crossed the difficult terrain. At the end of the route stands a metal barrier installed by the Lebanese army just days ago.

But this is not the only option. Some people entering Lebanon illegally are transported to the entrance of Terbol in northern Lebanon, away from military checkpoints, as was the case with a man just a few months ago.

From Terbol, the journey is far from over. Smuggling routes branch out in several directions and can take hours to traverse. LBCI tested one such route from Terbol toward Danniyeh, passing through the rugged heights of Batroun.

From there, the route continues to the heights of Byblos, along rough mountain roads whose numerous access points are difficult to cover with security checkpoints.

Smuggling journeys begin at unofficial crossings from Syria into Lebanon, which operate day and night. Various modes of transportation are used, including public and private vehicles, while motorcycles facilitate travel across rough terrain.

LBCI obtained the names of some of the main crossings, several of which are located in Wadi Khaled, while others are in the area around Aabboudiye. Some crossings are known by the names of the areas where they are located, while others bear the names of individuals who control them.

These are interconnected border areas with known gaps. But closing them requires more than securing and monitoring the border. It also means addressing the consequences of illegal entry, including the security and social challenges it poses, and preventing these crossings from becoming an additional source of problems for Lebanon.