The Syrian regime has not exempted Syrian refugees returning from Lebanon from exchanging $100 at the border crossings, amid talk of many refugees being unable to enter Syria legally because they do not have the required $100.
The government imposes a requirement on Syrians and those in similar situations to exchange $100 to Syrian pounds upon entering Syria.
Alaa al-Sheikh, member of the executive office for the transport sector in Rif Dimashq, told the local Sham FM radio that the requirement to exchange $100 for Syrians is part of the routine protocol.
She added, “These are regulatory procedures being expedited, and we are committed so far to all legal procedures,” noting that a percentage of arriving Syrians officially reside in Lebanon, some of whom need “status settlement,” which is done “simply.”
Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Syria (CBS) directed operational banks in regime-controlled areas that have mobile offices or licensed currency exchange companies to head towards the Syrian-Lebanese border crossings, amidst the entry of thousands of Lebanese and Syrians into Syria fleeing Israeli escalation in Lebanon.
The bank’s circular published today, Thursday, September 26, aims to have banks and exchange companies provide all banking services to facilitate the entry procedures for new arrivals into Syrian territories, according to the bank.
The services provided by these mobile offices, according to the circular, include cash withdrawals and deposits from bank accounts for banking offices, and currency exchange services for exchange companies.
Today, Agence France-Presse reported that more than 22,000 displaced people have arrived in Syria from Lebanon, 15,000 of whom are Syrians.
No official figures have yet been released by the Syrian regime and Lebanese authorities about the volume of crossings, but the local Al-Watan newspaper spoke two days ago about “the crossing of thousands.”
Yesterday, Wednesday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that thousands of Lebanese and Syrians are fleeing from Lebanon to Syria as the Israeli bombardment continues, explaining that large crowds, including women and children, are gathering in lines after spending the night outdoors in low temperatures, some with new injuries from the bombardment.
Hundreds of vehicles were stacked in queues at the Syrian border coming from Lebanon, while many people arrived on foot carrying what they could, according to the UNHCR.