Over 30,000 people, mostly Syrians, flee Lebanon to Syria – UNHCR

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – UNHCR, the U.N. Refugee Agency, said on Friday that more than 30,000 people, mostly Syrians, fled Lebanon into Syria in the past three days due to ongoing Israeli attacks.

“In the last 72 hours, well over 30,000 people are estimated to have crossed into Syria from Lebanon, fleeing the violence,” UNHCR stated.

Israel has significantly increased its military attacks against the Lebanese Hezbollah and targeted high-ranking commanders within the militia. Over 700 people have been killed and over 5,000 people have been injured in Lebanon, as reported by the Ministry of Health.

Among the people arriving into Syria, 80 percent are Syrians and 20 percent are Lebanese. The majority of the arrivals are women and children.

“They are exhausted, scared and in need, arriving in a country that has been suffering from its own crisis and violence for more than 13 years, as well as from economic collapse,” the Refugee Agency said.

UNHCR, along with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the Ministry of Health, is present at four main border crossing points of Syria.

Despite Syria grappling with its own prolonged crisis and economic collapse, relief efforts are being managed through existing infrastructure, including community centers that provide psychosocial support, child protection, and shelter assistance.

Lebanon, which already hosts 1.5 million Syrian refugees, now faces an increasing strain as more people are forced to abandon their homes.

By Ster Youssef