Lebanon deports dozens of Syrian refugees amid spike in racist rhetoric
The deportation of more than 50 Syrians to the war-torn country comes amid growing anti-Syrian sentiment in Lebanon.
BEIRUT — Lebanon’s authorities have deported more than 50 Syrians back to their war-torn country in the past two weeks, local officials and a humanitarian source told Agence France-Presse on Friday, despite warnings from rights organizations about the threats they face back in Syria.
Army and security officials said that Lebanon’s army intelligence unit has recently intensified its raids against undocumented Syrians across the country. “The army’s detention centers are full,” the army official explained. “So the army had to take this measure and place them outside Lebanese borders.”
The latest move was not coordinated with Damascus, according to the officials, who explained that the Syrians were handed over to border guards who then moved them to Syrian territories.
Thousands of Syrians have left Lebanon since 2017 as part of a so-called “voluntary repatriation program” organized by the Lebanese General Security and Syrian authorities in Damascus, who claim that Syria is safe for their return. But rights organizations have criticized the move, saying that Syrians are being forcibly deported back to the war-torn country where their lives are at risk.
