Beirut, Lebanon – The Lebanese Army Command issued an official statement on Sunday categorically denying reports that its military units had forced Syrian citizens to illegally cross a river at the northern border, resulting in drownings.
Army Command Clarification
The statement confirmed that the military units deployed in the northern region did not intervene in the incident, as there was no information regarding an attempted illegal crossing at that specific location.
The leadership clarified that the Lebanese forces did not force anyone to return across the river.
He explained that the army is currently conducting intensive search operations for those who drowned. This is being done in full coordination with the Syrian authorities.
The command emphasized that the army is facilitating the voluntary return of Syrians exclusively through official border crossings. This is being done to ensure their safety and secure arrival on the Syrian side, in coordination with the relevant authorities.
Sana’s story and the survivors’ testimonies
In contrast, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported a different account from a survivor of the drowning incident. The survivor stated that he was detained by the Lebanese gendarmerie and taken, along with a group of refugees, to a border crossing opposite the village of Dabousieh.
According to his testimony: “They asked us to cross the river towards Syrian territory, but the heavy rains and strong current prevented most of us from crossing, which led to some of us drowning, while I was able to survive after the Syrian Arab Army rescued me.”
border coordination
This incident comes at a time when border areas are experiencing harsh weather conditions. This increases the risk of infiltration attempts through illegal crossings. Despite conflicting accounts between the survivor’s testimony and the official Lebanese denial, both sides affirmed their continued field cooperation to recover the missing persons. They also agreed to accurately determine the circumstances of the incident.
