Khaberni - The Lebanese army announced on Monday the arrest of 38 Syrians in raid operations conducted by military units accompanied by an intelligence patrol, targeting homes and camps of Syrians "for their irregular movement within Lebanese territory."
The Lebanese army command stated in its announcement that the raids and detentions were part of security measures in the Bekaa region and along the Lebanese-Syrian border.
The statement mentioned that the army units arrested 36 Syrians in the Gaza area of Western Bekaa for their irregular movement inside Lebanese territory, in addition to detaining two Syrians in the Talya camp in Baalbek for their illegal entry into Lebanese territory and seizing two rifles in their possession. The statement did not mention any further details.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs, Haneen Al-Sayyed, announced on the X platform on Monday that 380,000 displaced Syrians have returned to their country since last July until today, as part of the implementation of the Safe Return plan launched by the Lebanese government.
She indicated that about 74,000 others have expressed their desire to return before the end of the current year.
Lebanese official estimates indicate that the number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon amounts to about 1.8 million, with about 880,000 registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
In early December, the United Nations Refugee Agency announced the return of more than 378,000 Syrian refugees from Lebanon to their country, coinciding with the launch of the 12th phase of the Safe and Organized Return program that began in early July.
