Lebanon Struggles to Cope with New Syrian Migration Wave

 Children at a camp for Syrian refugees in Bar Elias, in the Lebanese Bekaa Valley on July 7, 2022 (AP)
Children at a camp for Syrian refugees in Bar Elias, in the Lebanese Bekaa Valley on July 7, 2022 (AP)
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Lebanon Struggles to Cope with New Syrian Migration Wave

 Children at a camp for Syrian refugees in Bar Elias, in the Lebanese Bekaa Valley on July 7, 2022 (AP)
Children at a camp for Syrian refugees in Bar Elias, in the Lebanese Bekaa Valley on July 7, 2022 (AP)

Asharq Al-Awsat is closely monitoring the influx of new Syrian refugees into Lebanese territory, specifically the Bekaa region in eastern Lebanon.

These refugees are fleeing dire economic and living conditions in Syria, marking a new wave of displacement following the security-driven causes that led to the initial wave several years ago.

These displaced individuals are coordinating with traffickers who transport them covertly through unauthorized routes into Lebanese territory. This issue has prompted a political and security alert within Lebanon, aiming to prevent the exacerbation of this phenomenon, which has intensified in recent weeks.

One Syrian, Fadi S., aged 24, shared with Asharq Al-Awsat upon his arrival in Baalbek, eastern Lebanon, that he had only a single dollar in his pocket, insufficient to purchase essential supplies from a local supermarket.

His journey from Syria’s Homs to the Lebanese Bekaa region had depleted all his resources, and the $100 sent by his uncle to pay the human trafficker to bring him into Lebanon was exhausted.

Fadi’s intention upon arriving in Lebanon is to seek employment.

The journey Fadi took to Baalbek was arduous, spanning 13 hours and involving passage through unauthorized crossings and rugged paths.

However, it was relatively easy to navigate these obstacles because, as he mentioned, “the smugglers are familiar with hidden points unknown to Syrian and Lebanese security personnel.”

Sometimes, these refugees walk for hours through fields and orchards to reach the heart of Lebanon.

Fadi entered through an unauthorized crossing north of Hermel in the far northeast of Lebanon, along with a group of 17 Syrians, most of whom were young individuals seeking employment.

Upon arrival in Lebanese territory, they dispersed—some sought refuge in Syrian displacement camps in Bekaa, where they had relatives, while others sought shelter with relatives in villages in Baalbek.

The sole motivation behind Fadi’s displacement is the dire economic situation.

“I fled the hellish economic conditions, the unbearable cost of living in Syria, and the significant devaluation of the Syrian pound,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“These factors threaten our access to gas and heating fuel as winter approaches.”

“Life has become exceedingly harsh in Syria due to the exchange rate soaring to 14,000 Syrian pounds for one US dollar, while the daily wages for agricultural and construction workers in Syria do not exceed three dollars (40,000 Syrian pounds),” Fadi further explained.

“Meanwhile, food prices have surged, with the price per kilogram of tomatoes, grapes, and potatoes reaching over 3,000 Syrian pounds.”

“A gallon of oil costs 110,000 Syrian pounds ($8), and a kilogram of sugar has risen to 13,000 Syrian pounds (around $1).”

According to Fadi, these conditions forced him to leave his job in Homs.

He couldn't afford the cost of escaping, so he turned to his uncle living abroad, who sent him $100.

Fadi used this money to pay a trafficking group comprised of Lebanese and Syrians, allowing him to finally have a chance at improving his economic situation and finding work in Lebanon.

Indeed, he found his opportunity in Lebanon, where he secured a job the day after his arrival.

On Wednesday, he mentioned that he had started working in construction labor and was earning a daily wage of $8.

Lebanese security sources confirm that the amount Fadi paid is consistent with what they have seen, but investigations into apprehended individuals fleeing across the border illegally reveal even larger sums.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat under conditions of anonymity, a security source in the Bekaa region revealed that the fees charged by smuggling gangs per person “range from $100 to $600, depending on the nature of the journey.”

The security source also noted that some who illicitly enter Lebanon “use Lebanese territory as a transit route to European countries, Turkey, Egypt, or Greece, via sea and airports.”

“Their affairs are managed by gangs that secure accommodation in Lebanon before facilitating their departure abroad,” added the source.

The economic situation remains the primary driver for the migration of Syrians to Lebanon.

Samia, 32 years old, arrived on Tuesday with her two-year-old son, Mohammed, at a camp near Baalbek through an illegal smuggling route.

She had previously returned to Syria to live with her family, believing that the economic situation in Syria was better than in Lebanon.

However, Samia has now returned to Lebanon, seeking refuge from the “deteriorating economic conditions in Syria.”

She returned once again to the neighboring country to live with her husband, who works as a truck driver there.

Today, Samia resides in the same tent she had abandoned for Syria two months ago, returning through the same smuggling route and with the same traffickers.

“When I left for Syria two months ago through smugglers to live there with my family, the situation was better than it is today. But now, life has become unbearable, and that’s what compelled me to return to Lebanon,” she told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Samia mentions that the cost of the journey, both to enter Syria from Lebanon and return, amounts to $200, as charged by the smugglers for both the outbound and return trips.

Lebanese authorities have taken measures to thwart illegal border crossings.

“As part of combating human trafficking and illegal infiltration across the land borders, units of the Lebanese Army, at various times during the past week, foiled an attempt to infiltrate approximately 1,100 Syrians at the Lebanese-Syrian border,” the Lebanese Army stated in a recent press release.

Smuggling routes span a vast area, starting from Suweiri in southern Bekaa and extending to the far northeast of Lebanon, covering the entire northern border region. Smuggling is considered easier in the north due to the dense vegetation cover that conceals infiltrators.

A security source in eastern Lebanon informed Asharq Al-Awsat that the Lebanese Army, with the assistance of the Border Regiment and intelligence patrols, has successfully controlled both legal and illegal border crossings.

They have also established parallel checkpoints along international highways in northern Bekaa to prevent new waves of refugees from entering, following a recent security lapse.

The source, who requested anonymity, pointed out that those fleeing to Lebanon come from all Syrian regions without exception.

The source added that individuals apprehended by the army are repatriated across the border.



Syrians in Libya Struggle to Escape ‘Exile in Limbo’

A photo shows young Syrian men who drowned after their boat capsized off the coast of Libya. Credit: Rights activist Tarek Lamloum
A photo shows young Syrian men who drowned after their boat capsized off the coast of Libya. Credit: Rights activist Tarek Lamloum
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Syrians in Libya Struggle to Escape ‘Exile in Limbo’

A photo shows young Syrian men who drowned after their boat capsized off the coast of Libya. Credit: Rights activist Tarek Lamloum
A photo shows young Syrian men who drowned after their boat capsized off the coast of Libya. Credit: Rights activist Tarek Lamloum

About seven months ago, a group of 25 Syrian youths, including minors, set off from Libya on an irregular migration journey toward Europe. Only four made it back alive. The rest drowned in the Mediterranean.

The tragedy, which left a deep mark on Syrian communities both in Libya and abroad, has drawn renewed attention to the large and diverse Syrian population now living in the North African country, some fleeing the war in Syria under former President Bashar al-Assad, others settled there long before.

Syria’s presence in Libya is far from monolithic. It spans businessmen, migrant laborers, families who settled during the rule of Muammar Gaddafi, and former fighters now working as mercenaries. Many also see Libya as a temporary stop on the perilous path to Europe.

For most, Libya is not the destination but a gateway. The recent drowning of 21 Syrians in the Mediterranean was not an isolated tragedy, but part of a pattern of loss that has haunted the community for years.

Reports from local and international migration watchdogs have documented repeated drownings and arrests of Syrians at sea, with many captured by Libya’s coastguard and detained in overcrowded jails.

Despite the risks, many Syrians have managed to adapt to life in Libya, integrating into local communities and participating in its economy.

Yet numerous challenges persist, particularly for undocumented workers and those living without valid residency papers. Many report facing discrimination, abuse, and difficult working conditions.

As thousands of Syrian refugees across the Middle East prepare to return home amid improving conditions and relaxed restrictions, Syrians in Libya remain stuck, unable to stay, and unable to leave.

“We’re caught in the middle,” said one Syrian resident in Tripoli. “We can’t endure much longer, but we also can’t afford to go back.”

Many Syrians in Libya say they are increasingly vulnerable to exploitation, including passport confiscation and harassment by armed groups and criminal gangs operating with impunity.

Several Syrian residents told Asharq Al-Awsat they are facing rising unemployment, frequent kidnappings, and demands for ransom by militias. For those who now wish to return to Syria, doing so has become financially prohibitive due to hefty fines for visa violations.

Steep Penalties for Overstaying

Under a revised Libyan immigration law enacted on March 14, 2024, foreigners who overstay their visas or residency permits are charged 500 Libyan dinars - around $90 - per month. The regulation adds a significant burden for many Syrians whose legal documents have expired and who lack the resources to renew them or pay the fines required to exit the country legally.

Due to the political division in Libya since 2014, no official statistics exist on the number of foreign residents. However, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported in 2020 that approximately 14,500 Syrian refugees and asylum seekers were living in Libya.

Ten years after arriving in Libya, Ahmed Kamal Al-Fakhouri says he is now trapped, unable to afford life in the country or the high costs of leaving it.

“They’ve imposed fines on us that are beyond reason - nearly $1,500 per person,” said Fakhouri, a restaurant worker in Tripoli, echoing a growing outcry among Syrians in Libya burdened by mounting penalties and legal uncertainties. “Sometimes, I can’t even afford a day’s meal.”

Fakhouri fled Derna after the deadly floods of August 2023 and resettled in Tripoli.

“I saw death with my own eyes,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat, describing the trauma of losing his home. “Now we’re living in misery. We want the world to hear our voice - we want to go back to our country.”

Libya hosts thousands of Syrians, including doctors, engineers, university students, and day laborers who fill the country’s markets in search of work to support their families.

Yet many say they now find themselves stuck, facing visa penalties they can’t afford and no clear path home - even as the fall of Assad’s regime renews hopes for return.

“Exit Tax” Burdens Families

While Libya’s labor ministries have issued no formal statement on the matter, members of the Syrian community say they are being charged an "exit tax" calculated based on their overstay period. No official decree has been published, but testimonies suggest the fees are acting as a de facto barrier to departure.

Following Assad’s ouster, many Syrians are reconsidering return, describing exile as a “prison,” but are deterred by the financial burden of settling overstays.

Asharq Al-Awsat reached out to both of Libya’s rival labor ministries to clarify policies affecting Syrians and the reported fines for expired documents, but received no response.

Zekeriya Saadi, another Syrian living in Tripoli, has publicly called on authorities in both eastern and western Libya to cancel the exit tax and allow those wishing to return to Syria to do so.

“In these unbearable conditions, it’s unreasonable to ask refugees to pay such high fees just to leave the country,” he said. “This tax is a major obstacle, it exceeds our capacity, especially given our financial hardships.”

Saadi said most Syrians in Libya are low-income families without stable jobs. “Many are at risk of eviction, kidnapping, or exploitation. Leaving has become a matter of survival,” he said. “How can a displaced person be treated like a tourist or a wealthy expat?”

He urged Syria’s Foreign Ministry to take a clear stance and negotiate with Libyan authorities for fee exemptions and coordinated return efforts, while also working to protect Syrians who remain in the country.

Passport Problems Bar Education

Beyond financial barriers, expired passports are also stranding Syrians in legal limbo. Many have lost access to services, and the issue is now affecting the next generation.

According to Syrian media reports, education officials in Misrata barred at least 100 Syrian children from enrolling in public schools because their parents’ passports had expired, highlighting how bureaucratic obstacles are deepening the crisis for displaced families.