Lebanese Armed Forces have begun escorting convoys of refugees returning to border areas with Israel following the recent conflict. A source in the southern military district headquarters in Sidon informed TASS about this development.
"Mechanized infantry of the Lebanese army are accompanying groups of displaced persons heading to cities such as Bint Jbeil, Maroun al-Ras, Mays al-Jebel, Houla, Yarun, and their surroundings," the source stated. "This is done to prevent potential Israeli attacks on unarmed civilians."
According to him, the army coordinates its actions with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), considering that Israeli troops have not yet fully withdrawn from Lebanese territory. "Returning refugees have committed to following the instructions of the military command and avoiding entering residential areas that have not yet been cleared of mines and unexploded ordnance by sappers," he emphasized.
Activist Jawad Soweid from the refugee rights movement "Masirat al-Bina" told a TASS correspondent that Lebanese soldiers are not only protecting the returning civilians but also providing them with necessary supplies. "People often have to settle in tents near their destroyed homes; they need water, fuel, heating devices, and food—all of which the soldiers deliver," he noted.
The source added that Israeli forces frequently block roads between settlements with concrete slabs and earthen embankments, attempting to hinder the return of refugees. "Army bulldozers come to their aid, clearing the debris, but this is dangerous work as snipers target them. Since Monday, at least five soldiers have been wounded," he said.
Soweid stressed that citizens returning to southern Lebanon are exercising their legal right. "We waited two months for the Israelis to withdraw their troops, but it didn't happen, so many decided to return because there was no other choice," he explained. "Agricultural season is starting, and this is our land—it sustains us."
The process of returning displaced persons began on January 26. Upon arrival in southern Lebanon, some refugees, including supporters of the Shia organizations Amal and Hezbollah, entered towns still occupied by Israeli forces. This led to preemptive fire, resulting in 24 deaths and 134 injuries, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
On January 27, snipers killed two Lebanese citizens and injured 17 others during attempts to enter villages like Aytaroun, Bani Hayyan, Kantaara, Houla, and El-Edeyssa in southern Lebanon. On January 28, Israeli forces opened warning fire on residents of southern districts, injuring 36 people.
On Wednesday, drone strikes targeted refugee convoys in three locations, wounding at least seven Lebanese citizens.
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Photo: The National Guard/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials from TASS