Dozens of Syrians and Lebanese crossed the border into Syrian territory in conjunction with increased Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon. No independent agency has documented the nationality or number of refugees.
Enab Baladi’s correspondent in Homs reported today, Tuesday, September 24, that about 100 people entered illegally via the Syrian-Lebanese border, heading to Homs from Wadi Khaled and Lebanese villages near al-Qusayr.
A number of refugees arrived in the Homs governorate, all of whom were Syrians, while no Lebanese refugees were recorded arriving in the area, according to the correspondent.
The French news agency AFP quoted an unnamed Syrian security source as saying that hundreds of people had crossed the border from Lebanon into Syria amidst the Israeli airstrikes, without specifying the refugees’ nationality.
Enab Baladi contacted a smuggler active on the Syrian-Lebanese border who said that crossing activity is vigorous and faces no obstacles on either side of the border.
According to the smuggler, it costs $60 per person to cross the border from Lebanese territory to Homs, Syria, for those without residency in Lebanon, and $30 for those with residency.