Iraq has halted the return of Lebanese refugees by land, restricting the process to air travel due to security concerns in Syria.
This decision comes amid a significant escalation of conflict in Syria, particularly in the northwest region.
Since 1 December, the Al-Qaim border crossing has been partially closed, allowing entry only for Iraqis or Lebanese/Syrian nationals married to Iraqis with the necessary entry documents.
Departures from Iraq to Syria are limited to Lebanese and Syrian nationals. An Iraqi security source confirmed to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed (The New Arab’s Arabic edition) that the transportation of Lebanese citizens through Syrian territory has been suspended.
The deteriorating security situation in Syria has forced the cancellation of previously planned voluntary mass returns via land. On 27 November, opposition groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a major offensive in northwestern Syria, resulting in significant territorial changes and intense fighting.
In response to these developments, the Iraqi government has shifted its focus to air travel for Lebanese refugee returns. On Friday, the Iraqi Ministry of Migration announced the return of 150 Lebanese citizens to Beirut International Airport via Iraqi Airways, free of charge. This was the second such flight, with more planned for the future, as Beirut airport returned to normal operations following the ceasefire agreement with Israel last week.
The Iraqi Prime Minister directed concerned authorities on 2 December to operate free flights for those wishing to return. The Iraqi Ministry of Transport has since announced plans to increase the number of flights to Lebanon to facilitate further returns. Currently, Iraqi Airways operates seven weekly flights from Najaf and Baghdad airports to Beirut, with speculation that this could rise to ten per week to meet demand.
Over the past two months, more than 40,000 Lebanese citizens have entered Iraq, primarily settling in the southern and central regions. On 28 November, UNHCR accompanied the UN Resident Coordinator on a mission to Kerbala to discuss the situation and plans related to supporting Lebanese in the governorate, with a focus on return.
The Iraqi government continues to coordinate with the UN to prepare plans for the continued hosting of Lebanese refugees. As of 4 December, over 4,000 Lebanese in Karbala and Najaf had already registered to return home
The deteriorating security situation has raised concerns about potential spillover effects in neighboring countries. Iraq has responded by increasing security deployments along its border with Syria. The Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Miqdad Miri, confirmed that additional forces have been deployed to protect the extensive Iraq-Syria border.
On Friday, the Syrian regime reportedly lost control of the Boukamal border crossing with Iraq to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
(Reporting by The New Arab Staff in London, Mohammad Ali in Baghdad, for Al-Araby Al-Jadeed)
