The Customs Directorate of the Syrian regime’s government has started issuing temporary (emergency) entry cards to Lebanese arrivals in Syria, according to the local Al-Watan newspaper.

In its edition published today, Monday, October 7, the newspaper quoted an unnamed customs source stating that the card allows Lebanese people to stay in Syria for one month and is renewable every 15 days.

The measure comes after many Lebanese who wish to enter Syria found themselves unable to obtain an entry booklet from Lebanese customs at border crossings between Syria and Lebanon.

The newspaper pointed out that Lebanese were required to have an entry booklet to cross into Syrian regime areas for 120 days, renewable every 15 days, but the escalation of events prevented them from obtaining it.

It added that the temporary “emergency” card was granted to solve the problem and facilitate the entry of Lebanese into Syria.

Ongoing displacement movement

As of Sunday, October 6, the number of displaced people from Lebanon to Syria has exceeded 86,000 Lebanese and more than 233,000 Syrians, according to Al-Watan, citing the Syrian Immigration and Passports Authority.

Some of them are distributed across various regions of Syria, while other Lebanese prefer to travel to other countries including Jordan and Iraq from Syrian territory.

The source quoted by the Al-Watan newspaper mentioned that freight and tourist vehicles are halted at the Jdeidat Yabous border checkpoint with Lebanon, after Israeli strikes on the international road at the Lebanese Masnaa area on October 4.

However, the movement of people continues, particularly at the Arida and Dabousiya crossings in the Homs and Tartus governorates.

Rula Amin, communications advisor at the UNHCR in the Middle East and North Africa, explained in a report published by the United Nations on October 4, that the majority of returning Syrians head to their cities and villages to join their families.

She added that about 60% of the people arriving in Syria are children and teenagers, some of whom arrived unaccompanied by their families.

The displacement has also included some Palestinian and Iraqi refugees and migrants of other nationalities, according to the UN report.