Khaberni - An attempted border crossing by a number of Syrians turned into a horrific humanitarian incident, after a group of refugees perished by drowning while heading from Lebanese territories towards Syria, under extremely dangerous weather conditions.
The Syrian news channel reported today (Sunday) that a group consisting of 11 Syrians drowned while crossing a border area, after being forced to traverse a river that was experiencing severe flooding due to stormy weather conditions.
Syrian activists accused the Lebanese army of being responsible for the incident, stating that it insisted on deporting them at night despite the high water levels in the area, while no comment was issued by the Lebanese side to deny this claim.
According to the news channel, the Lebanese army directed the group towards the border watercourse at a time when the water was at its highest level, leading to the incident occurring within minutes, amidst the group's inability to resist the strong current.
The channel clarified that civil defense teams succeeded in rescuing a man and two women, while the search operations continue for the missing individuals, who include an elderly man, two women, and five children, in coordination with the relevant authorities on the Syrian side.
The incident brought to the forefront the increasing risks faced by civilians at informal crossings, amid floods and harsh climate conditions, with calls for secure passages and prevention of such human tragedies from recurring.
