Administration of North and East Syria reiterates willingness to receive deported Syrian refugees from Lebanon amid escalating restrictions

NORTH AND EAST SYRIA — Amidst escalating restrictions and deportations targeting Syrian refugees in Lebanon, the Democratic Autonomous Administration of the Region of North and East Syria (DAARNES) renewed its commitment to an initiative, announced in April 2023, to accept displaced Syrians in Lebanon.

Rubel Baho, Deputy Co-Chair of the DAARNES Foreign Relations Commission, affirmed their readiness to activate the program. Baho stressed the critical need for international support to execute the initiative effectively.

Highlighting the necessity of international resolutions and guarantees for refugees wishing to return from Lebanon to DAARNES areas, Baho emphasized the imperative of robust coordination to ensure safe passage through regions controlled by the Syrian regime.

The DAARNES initiative garnered positive feedback from Syrian forces in Lebanon, underscoring their desire to return. Some deported refugees have already benefited from the initiative’s efforts.

Recent decisions by Lebanese security forces, however, pose new challenges, as they mandate the evacuation of Syrian refugees from homes and areas in the northern region, citing violations of refuge and residency conditions. These directives align with government and Central Security Council mandates in Lebanese regions.