A Lebanese human rights organization has reported that dozens of Syrian refugees have been deported by authorities and handed over to Assad militias after being arrested in security raids.
According to the Wusl Center for Human Rights, which covers refugee news in Lebanon, the Lebanese army forcibly deported 64 Syrian refugees in two separate incidents. The deportations were carried out following arbitrary security raids in various locations in Lebanon, without consideration for the legal and political situation of refugees in their country.
29 Syrian refugees were deported in a collective operation by the Lebanese army on April 10 and 11, after a security raid on their places of residence in the Haret al-Sakhr complex in the Jounieh area. The detainees were then transferred through the al-Masnaa border crossing to an area that crosses the Syrian-Lebanese border.
In another incident, the Lebanese army carried out mass forcible transfers of 35 Syrian refugees in the Wadi Khaled area in northern Lebanon. The refugees were arrested during security raids on their accommodation in the town of Mazraa in Kfardebian. The detainees were then transferred to the Sarba military barracks in Jounieh and then to the Shadra checkpoint in Akkar, where they were handed over to the Fourth Division of the Assad militia.
These deportations are a violation of the rights of Syrian refugees and raise concerns about the safety and well-being of those deported. The authorities should respect the rights of refugees and provide them with the necessary legal protections.
Their fate is still unknown
The center’s statement highlights that during the raids, the refugees were subjected to ill-treatment, despite some of them being sick and children. It was emphasized that all refugees were registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and had legally entered the country, although they did not have legal residence status.
The statement further notes that the fate of the deportees in Syria remains unknown at the time of its release, suggesting that the Assad militia is still holding them.
There is growing concern that these actions are part of the Lebanese government’s plan to forcibly return 15,000 refugees to Syria each month, despite widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
