Many Syrians in Lebanon have a tough choice: stay in a place that’s getting more unfriendly, or go back to parts of Syria controlled by rebels, which is very dangerous. Going back is risky, and things in Syria are still really bad.
Walid Muhammad Abdel-Baqi decided to leave Lebanon for Syria after his son was violently beaten to death. His son, Ali Walid, had gotten lost on his way to his sister’s place in Sidon and was later found severely beaten and left outside a police station. Abdel-Baqi believes Ali was targeted because he was Syrian.
Lebanon, with a population of over 5.2 million, hosts an estimated 1.5 million Syrians who fled during the Syrian civil war. The country’s economic and political crises have fueled growing anti-Syrian sentiment. The Lebanese military has been forcibly deporting Syrians, despite the dangers they face back home. Changes to European Union migration policy have exacerbated the situation, according to rights organizations.
The Abdel-Baqi family fled to Lebanon 12 years ago to escape violence, but now they see no choice but to return to Syria, specifically to Idlib, an opposition-controlled area. The journey back was fraught with risks, including the threat of encountering Syrian government forces who view returnees as enemies of Bashar Assad. Many who attempt the journey go missing, are imprisoned, or are forced into the Syrian army.
Traveling to Idlib often requires passing through government-held territory and bribing guards at checkpoints. Those known to the authorities take more dangerous routes, relying on people smugglers and paying around $650. Despite the dangers, more Syrians are making this journey. In May, 1,041 people arrived in Idlib from Lebanon, more than double the 446 arrivals in April. Idlib authorities are struggling to accommodate the influx, with many people living in informal housing without basic amenities.
The situation in Idlib remains bleak. An estimated 4.5 million people live in northwestern Syria, primarily in Idlib and northern Aleppo, under Islamist opposition control. Of these, 4.1 million need humanitarian assistance, 3.7 million face food insecurity, and 2.9 million are internally displaced. Aid to the area has decreased, with the UN’s World Food Program cutting food aid due to funding shortfalls. Despite a recent pledge of €7.5 billion ($8.1 billion) from international donors, including the EU, the amount falls short of previous years’ contributions.
Ranim Ahmed of The Syria Campaign, a UK-based advocacy organization, criticized the dire situation forcing refugees to choose between harassment in Lebanon and danger in Syria. Lebanon is increasingly unsafe for Syrians, with many facing racism, insecurity, and legal barriers to employment.
Ramzi al-Youssef, who had been working in Lebanon since 2009, returned to Idlib due to growing persecution. Although he had legal papers from the UN, he was forbidden from working and faced constant threats. On his journey back, al-Youssef and his family were arrested and imprisoned by Syrian soldiers. Al-Youssef was tortured and forcibly conscripted into the Syrian army but managed to escape to Idlib.
Despite the hardships, al-Youssef is grateful to have made it to Idlib, but the challenges for Syrians in both Lebanon and Syria remain severe.