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On June 28, more than 450 Syrian refugees returned from a camp near the Lebanese town of Arsal to their homes in the Syrian regions of western and eastern Qalamun, according to the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA).
The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) welcomed the refugees and facilitated their return to their homes in the villages and towns of al-Jebbah, Assal al-Ward, Yabroud, Ras al-Maara, Flitah, al-Ruhaybah and Jayrud.
“The return of refugees to their homeland today is not forced but voluntary,” said Arsal Mayor Bassil al-Hujeiri commenting on the development, according to the Chinese Xinhua News Agency.
Furthermore, chief of the Lebanese General Directorate of General Security revealed that the return of the Syrian refugees was coordinated with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). In the upcoming days, at least five or six additional batches of refugees will return to the western and eastern Qalamun in the same way.
Currently, Lebanon hosts more than one million Syrian refugees, according to the Human Rights Watch. Most of these refugees are from the governorates of Homs and Damascus, which were secured by the SAA recently.
Syrian refugees on their way to their homes:
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