'Where are we supposed to go?' - Thousands flee Lebanon for Syria
As Lebanon suffers heavy fire from Israel, more than 100,000 people have crossed the Syrian border - including many who fled Syria during its brutal civil war only a few years ago.
Tuesday 1 October 2024 05:42, UK
Few people in Lebanon would choose to make this trip, with the Syrian border often seen as a place best to avoid.
However, more than 100,000 people have made the crossing since the recent escalation of hostilities and after several hours at the frontier, we were convinced that many more will try.
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"Aren't you taking a risk by going to Syria?" I asked one man, who was standing with others in the back of a truck.
"I have to take a risk, what am I supposed to do? I need to escape the war. I'll go and build myself a little shelter or something."
"Yes we're scared," said another, sitting in the passenger seat of an overloaded car. "But we just rescued our friend from underneath the rubble," he added, pointing to another in the back seat.
This dusty spot is called Masnaa and it has now been consumed by a great wave of humanity.
The majority are Syrians who've decided to gamble on a trip back home.
Adnan had just arrived at the border from southern Lebanon.
"Down there, they're bombing civilians, they say it's Hezbollah but that's not true. Everything belongs to civilians. They're trying to forcibly to displace people."
"Are you telling me that you think it is safer to be in Syria than Lebanon?" I ask.
"Yes of course, they're hitting everything - they've gone from one place to another as they bomb - there's not a single place in Lebanon that hasn't been hit."
We saw many children in Masnaa who have never visited their homeland before. Their parents fled the country during Syria's brutal civil war, joining some 1.5 million Syrian nationals in Lebanon.
We met others who were furious about an Israeli bombardment that has forced one million people from their homes.
"They came to us, they occupied us, and they want to impose themselves on us. Hassan Nasrallah was martyred, I hope there'll be 2,000 more Hassans," said a woman who was unable to contain her rage."
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Many had little or nothing with them, like an older couple who we found sitting under a tree. They said they were going to try to make the journey back to central Syria.
"We are going to Raqqa. We left Raqqa with the clothes on our back and we are going back to Syria with the clothes on our backs," said the husband, who did not want to give his name.
Their decision was made, they said, after an Israeli aerial assault got far too close to their home.
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"We escaped the war because there were airstrikes over us and we spent four nights sleeping in a vineyard, there was no food, no water. We had to take medicine but there was no water."
"Even Syria isn't safe but where are we supposed to go? Where are we going? We just don't know," said the wife.
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"But we take this road and the rest is up to God."