News 18 March 2026 Over 125,000 Cross Syria Border from Lebanon, Half are Children

Geneva, 18 March 2026 - As of 17 March, more than 125,000 people have crossed from Lebanon into Syria, according to the latest data from the International Organization for Migration's (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix in Syria. Around half are children. Most are Syrian nationals, while about 7,000 are Lebanese, underscoring the widening regional impact of the conflict.

IOM calls on the international community to urgently increase support to meet immediate needs, strengthen preparedness, and prevent further deterioration of an already fragile situation.

"The risk of a much larger displacement crisis is real and growing," said IOM Director General Amy Pope. "Needs are rising quickly and require a rapid scale-up in response capacities, both inside Syria and across the region. Without urgent support, critical assistance will fall short at a moment when families have already lost so much. The international community must act now to prevent this crisis from deepening further."

The growing number of crossings is heightening pressure on an already fragile system. Syria's infrastructure and public services remain weakened after more than a decade of crisis. Key destinations, including Ar-Raqqa, Damascus, and Homs, are under growing pressure. A further increase in arrivals risks overwhelming local capacity and triggering new internal displacement.

Arrivals to Syria from Lebanon are widespread. Ar-Raqqa has received around 21 per cent of arrivals, many in remote areas where access to food, water and healthcare is limited. Others are concentrated in densely populated urban areas around Damascus, further intensifying pressure on basic services.

Across all locations, families are arriving with little or no resources. Cash assistance is among the most urgent needs, alongside food, shelter, and healthcare. Many have already exhausted their coping mechanisms.

IOM underscores that movements must be safe, voluntary, and dignified, and that the scale and profile of arrivals - particularly the high number of children - requires an urgent, protection-centred response.

For more information, please visit IOM's Media Centre.