A convoy of Lebanese army and intelligence units escorted 50 Syrian families from refugee camps in the Lebanese town of Arsal to the border with Syria, where they were then transported on to the southern Syrian border town of Asal al-Ward.
A source told Zaman al-Wasl that the Syrian families were returned after negotiations led by Abou Taha al-Assali, a Syrian national known for his strong ties to the Lebanese army.
Activists from inside Arsal’s camps expect the return of around 500 families to Asal al-Ward after the Assad regime seized control of the whole of the western Qalamoun region last month.
The return of the Syrian families follows the announcement by Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah on May 13 that the party had begun to dismantle its positions in the hills of the eastern Lebanese mountains, which has encouraged some Syrian families to return.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
