BEIRUT: Two buses carrying over 40 Syrian refugees left the Masnaa border crossing Sunday to Syria, in the third of such processes recently organized by General Security.
Several refugees gathered at the crossing after the government body announced Saturday evening that it was facilitating the voluntary return of the refugees back to Syria.
The refugees boarded two buses heading to Moadamieh al-Sham in the Damascus countryside, while some other Syrian refugees crossed the border in their own cars.
The General Security said in a statement that it had secured a "voluntary return" for 42 Syrian refugees.
A source told The Daily Star that 33 other Syrian refugees departed separately in the morning and that still others had left on Saturday.
The source added that Syrian army personnel were present in the buses, but couldn't specify why, suggesting that it might have been for coordination purposes. General Security officers were also present to oversee the process. "It is possible there will be more returns soon, also to Moadamieh," the source said.
Local TV channel LBCI announced that several of those leaving were categorized as being from the opposition and certain assurances had to be given to them. The TV channel added that there was contact between the Lebanese and Syrian sides in this regard.
Josep Zapater, head of the UNHCR’s office in Lebanon's Bekaa, confirmed to The Daily Star the refugees were heading to Muadamiyat al-Sham.
“They are going to [Moadamieh], we don't have final figures. Right now they are awaiting procedures in Masnaa. It might be around 19 families,” Zapater said.