More than 200,000 people crossed from Lebanon into Syria amid escalating hostilities

At the press conference of UN agencies in Geneva, the UNHCR’s acting representative in Syria, Aseer Al-Madhain, told reporters via video from Damascus that during the period from 2 to 27 March, more than 200,000 people entered Syria through the three official crossings.

She explained that 180,000 of the returnees are Syrians. “Including Syrian refugees who were previously forced to flee Syria in search of safety in Lebanon, and are now forced to flee again, in addition to Syrians who have long considered the idea of ​​returning to their homes.”.

She added that more than 28,000 Lebanese have crossed into Syria, most of them fleeing intense Israeli bombing.

She warned that the number of arrivals peaked in early March, especially families coming from the southern suburbs of Beirut and southern Lebanon.

Al-Mudaeen reported that about half of the Syrians interviewed by UNHCR said that they intend to remain in the country permanently despite the economic challenges and limited services, while others are planning only temporary residency.

She said that most of them returned to their relatives’ areas or to rented housing, while smaller numbers of Lebanese citizens and Syrian-Palestinians crossed the border into mixed families.

Urgent needs

Regarding the needs of the returnees, the acting UNHCR representative in Syria said “The urgent needs of those coming to Syria from Lebanon include food, shelter, health care, livelihoods and assistance with civil documentation.”.

She stressed that, in close cooperation with the Syrian authorities, UNHCR quickly strengthened its presence on the borders to ensure the provision of protection and assistance services in a timely manner.

She also pointed out that UNHCR’s community centers remain the main pillar of the response, as they help in assessing needs, registering families for services, providing psychological first aid, mental health support, and referrals to legal, medical, educational, and child protection services.

Among those Al-Madaeen spoke to was a Syrian father who returned from Lebanon “After suffering so much, they are now just hoping that the situation here will be better.”.

She called for urgent support, as funding for UNHCR operations in Syria does not exceed 30% of the needs amounting to about 324 million US dollars in 2026.