Deported Syrians: Lebanese army takes action against illegal immigration

The Lebanese army has been deporting Syrian nationals who have entered the country illegally for some time now.

The army and army intelligence have been implementing these deportations for some time and usually involve groups of 20 to 30 individuals who are handed over to the Syrian army at the Lebanese-Syrian border.

However, those deported to the Syrian army are Syrians who have crossed Lebanon illegally without going through official passages.

These deportation operations have also targeted individuals involved in activities, mainly posing a threat to security in Lebanon. The Lebanese army has been focusing on raiding areas with repeated security incidents involving Syrian nationals.

Once confirmed that these individuals have entered Lebanon illegally and committed criminal acts, the army transports them to the border and hands them over to the Syrian army.

In one notable incident at the end of last year, 194 individuals had entered Lebanon intending to migrate illegally through boats. After their ship sank, they were rescued by the Lebanese army and immediately deported to the northern border.

Furthermore, the Supreme Defense Council held a meeting on April 24, 2019, during which it called for measures to limit the smuggling operations of people and goods across the country's land borders.

In this context, the Social Affairs Minister pointed out that the Supreme Defense Council had made decisions during that session, including the deportation of individuals who enter Lebanon illegally without passing through official border crossings.

The international law protects this decision, and Lebanon has the right to defend its territory and people. Also, the matter should not require a political decision or permission from anyone.

On the other hand, the Progressive Socialist Party condemned the deportation of many displaced persons in a forced and arbitrary manner and called on military and security institutions to respect human rights principles.

Therefore, the party stressed that any step could not be taken except through safe and voluntary return, awaiting a comprehensive political solution.