SNA blocks entry of displaced families from Lebanon into Aleppo
ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, aka the Syrian National Army (SNA), refused on Tuesday entry to 275 Syrian families fleeing the conflict in Lebanon.
These families, originally from Aleppo Governorate, were denied entry under the pretext of undergoing security background checks.
North Press correspondent cited an SNA official as saying that the 275 families are currently stranded at the Awn al-Dadat Crossing in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo after the SNA blocked their return.
The decision was reportedly made following instructions from Turkish intelligence, which cited the need for “security studies.”
The official added that more than 40 families, unable to cross, have altered their route and are now headed towards the city of Manbij, in areas run by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).
For days, over 275 families have been waiting for permission to return to their original homes in Aleppo and Idlib governorates , in areas under the control of the SNA.
The source indicated that the so-called security studies could take up to three days to complete.
It was also revealed that, in some cases, the families are allowed to bypass the waiting period in exchange for substantial financial payments.
Thousands of Syrian, Lebanese, and Palestinian families have been forced to flee Lebanon due to the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, creating a surge of refugees seeking safety across the region.
On Oct 7, the UNHCR said that approximately 220,000 people, including both Lebanese and Syrians, are estimated to have crossed from Lebanon to Syria due to increasing violence.