A line of cars from Syria blocked at the Masnaa border crossing. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient-Le Jour)
Since the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, all eyes have turned to the Lebanese-Syrian border. Many in Lebanon fear a new influx of refugees, driven by a different demographic shift this time, mainly the potential arrival of Syrians affiliated with the former regime, such as Alawites, or the terrible risk of infiltration by radical Islamists as seen in 2014.Additionally, the return of Lebanese Shiites who had settled in Syria since the start of the crisis in 2011 was anticipated. In preparation for potential spillover of the crisis into Lebanon, the Lebanese Army bolstered its border presence, deploying commando units at various crossing points.However, the reality on the ground has far exceeded expectations and contradicted many predictions. Over the past 48 hours, the long line of Syrians leaving Lebanon speaks volumes about...
Since the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, all eyes have turned to the Lebanese-Syrian border. Many in Lebanon fear a new influx of refugees, driven by a different demographic shift this time, mainly the potential arrival of Syrians affiliated with the former regime, such as Alawites, or the terrible risk of infiltration by radical Islamists as seen in 2014.Additionally, the return of Lebanese Shiites who had settled in Syria since the start of the crisis in 2011 was anticipated. In preparation for potential spillover of the crisis into Lebanon, the Lebanese Army bolstered its border presence, deploying commando units at various crossing points.However, the reality on the ground has far exceeded expectations and contradicted many predictions. Over the past 48 hours, the long line of Syrians leaving Lebanon speaks volumes about...
