Syrians cross Lebanese border for third day, returning to their homes

(10 Dec 2024) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Masnaa border crossing, Bekaa, Lebanon - 10 December 2024 1. Various of Masnaa checkpoint at Lebanese-Syrian borders with crowds of people and vehicles crossing amid heavy security measures by Lebanese army patrol 2. Passengers crossing border checkpoint from Syria to Lebanon 3. Various of Syrians with their luggage, heading toward crossing checkpoint 4. Various of people and vehicles at crossing 5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Wassim al-Aloul, Syrian from Zabadani: "It has been almost 13 years and about 7 months since I last went to Syria. I chose to go now because the regime has fallen and things have changed. We can now enter our country freely without anyone pursuing us. We have peace of mind, that we can enter the country and see our family and loved ones." 6. Various of Syrians with their luggage, heading towards crossing checkpoint 7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Hussein Rajab, Syrian from Banias: "I am coming back to celebrate. I was traveling across the sea. And now that the regime has fallen, I’m coming to celebrate with my family, thank God, after 14 years and 50 years of the dictator’s rule. Thank God. May joy spread to everyone. And congratulations to all of us, God willing." 8. Various of passengers crossing towards Lebanon, coming from Syria 9. Various of Masnaa checkpoint at Lebanese-Syrian borders STORYLINE: Hundreds of Syrians returned from Lebanon to Syria on Tuesday for a third consecutive day, with dozens of cars lining up at the border crossing. Lebanese security forces, supported by patrols from the Lebanese army, increased their presence at the Masnaa checkpoint, the only operational crossing point on the Lebanese-Syrian border. Displaced people, dragging their luggage and carrying bags, crowded the Masnaa crossing, trying to cross the border on foot. Wassim al-Aloul, a Syrian from Zabadani, said he was making his was back to Syria for the first time in more than 13 years. "We can now enter our country freely without anyone pursuing us. We enter with peace of mind, seeing our family and loved ones," he added. "I am coming back to celebrate. I was traveling across the sea. And now that the regime has fallen, I’m coming to celebrate with my family," said Hussein Rajab, a Syrian from Banias. While some Syrians are happily making their way back home - some for the first time in years - others are worried about what the recent instability might bring. Hundreds of other passengers, mainly Lebanese citizens and Syrians, crossed into Lebanon with the numbers moving in this direction rising after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad. Assad fled the country on Sunday, bringing to a dramatic close his nearly 14-year struggle to hold onto control as his country fragmented in a brutal civil war that became a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers. The fall of Syria’s authoritarian government at the hands of jihadi militants has set off waves of jubilation, trepidation and alarm around the world. Expatriate Syrians and many residents across the Middle East exulted at the overthrow of a leader who led his country through 14 years of civil strife that left half a million Syrians dead and displaced millions. Others worried about still more instability rocking a region in turmoil. Lebanon's General Security said in a statement on Monday that some Syrians tried to enter the country without meeting all the legal requirements at the crossing, prompting a response by Lebanese security forces. AP Video shot by Ali Sharafeddine Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/c0f823ada9764bec8fe88e66bd096d51