UNHCR: Over 200,000 people cross into Syria after a month of hostilities in Lebanon

DAMASCUS - One month after hostilities intensified in the region and in Lebanon, Syria has seen a sharp rise in people crossing the border from Lebanon. Between 2 and 27 March, more than 200,000 people entered Syria through the three official crossing points, according to Syrian authorities.

The vast majority - nearly 180,000 - are Syrians, including Syrian refugees who had fled Syria in the past to find safety in Lebanon and are now forced to flee again, as well as Syrians who had long considered returning home. More than 28,000 Lebanese have also crossed into Syria. Most are people fleeing the intense Israeli bombardment. They arrive exhausted, traumatized and with very few belongings.

Movements have been heaviest through the Masnaa-Jdeidet Yabous and Al Qaa-Joussieh crossings, now operating around the clock. The Arida crossing reopened on 7 March but remains limited to pedestrian traffic due to a damaged bridge. Early March saw the largest peak in arrivals, particularly families from Beirut's southern suburbs and from southern Lebanon.

Around half of the Syrians interviewed say they intend to remain permanently in the country despite economic challenges and limited services; others plan only a temporary stay. Most are returning to extended family or rented accommodation, while smaller numbers of Lebanese nationals and Syrian Palestinians have also crossed as part of mixed families. Around Eid, more Syrian men have been crossing to visit family or reunite with relatives who had already returned.

The immediate needs of people arriving in Syria from Lebanon include food, shelter, health care, livelihoods and support with civil documentation. In close collaboration with Syrian authorities, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, rapidly increased its presence at the borders to ensure timely protection services and assistance. Our teams are on the ground, working with other UN and NGO partners as well as outreach volunteers and leveraging our network of active community centres, to engage with arriving families and respond to urgent needs in areas receiving high numbers of returnees - including Aleppo, ArRaqqa, Rural Damascus, Idleb, DeirezZor, Dar'a and Homs.

UNHCR has already provided legal assistance to hundreds of families needing civil documents such as birth or marriage registration, distributed water to 30,000 people in transit, delivered essential relief items including blankets, plastic sheeting, dignity kits and supplies for children, and organized transport for more than 3,500 people to reach their final destinations. We are also working with partners to deliver infrastructure upgrades, such as installing solar streetlights, to improve safety at the crossing points.

Beyond the border areas, our community centres remain the backbone of the response. They help assess needs, register families for services, and offer psychological first aid, mental health support and referrals to legal, medical, education and child protection services. Outreach volunteers are helping ensure assistance reaches those most in need. So far, more than 20,000 returnees have received support in governorates across the country.

Many families returning describe a mix of hardship and uncertainty. As one Syrian father who fled Lebanon after heavy shelling told me a few days ago, they came back to Syria - their home country - after having been through so much suffering. They now just hope the situation here will be better. We must remain by their side to help sustain their return and reintegration, as we have been doing to support the over 3 million Syrians - refugees and internally displaced - who have voluntarily returned home since December 2024.

UNHCR will continue strengthening assistance and protection as needs increase, working closely with authorities and partners to support people now returning home amid difficult conditions. But our UNHCR Syria operation is less than 30 per cent funded against the nearly $324 million requirements in 2026, and we call for urgent support.

Check UNHCR Middle East Situation data portal for the latest displacement figures.

For more information, please contact:

• In Damascus, Vivian Toumeh: [email protected], +963 (0) 988 098 860
• In Amman, Rula Amin: [email protected], +962 (0) 790 045 84
• In Geneva, Babar Baloch: [email protected], +41 79 513 95 49

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