SNA allows Syrians fleeing Lebanon to enter NW Syria

ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – The Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, aka the Syrian National Army (SNA), permitted on Thursday hundreds of Syrian families fleeing the conflict in Lebanon to enter areas under their control in northern Syria.

Syrian returnees from Lebanon told North Press that the Turkish-backed Military Police and the SNA factions had been preventing their entry since Oct. 1.

An official from the Military Police in Azaz, Northwest Syria, confirmed that 250 families had been granted entry through the Awn al-Dadat crossing, following necessary security checks.

The families have since headed to the cities of Jarablus and Azaz in northern Syria.

North Press correspondent said that many of these families had been sleeping in the open for three days, while undergoing security screenings conducted by Turkey and affiliated factions.

The entry was ultimately facilitated through the mediation of local dignitaries and influential social figures in the region.

Despite this, dozens of additional families are still waiting for permission to enter northern and western Syria. 

In recent weeks, Israel has intensified its airstrikes on Damascus and southern Lebanon, targeting key military sites linked to Hezbollah and Iranian-backed militias.

The strikes have forced both Lebanese and Syrian residents to flee the conflict zone. The Syrian refugees, along with some Lebanese, are seeking refuge in northern Syria, particularly in areas under the Turkish occupation and the SNA control, despite the ongoing instability there.

By Hani Salem