Syrian refugees, who fled to neighboring Lebanon years ago and returned after the conflicts between Hezbollah and Israel escalated, are facing new challenges. As a fragile ceasefire holds in Lebanon and a protracted war in northern Syria looms, some of those returnees said they were determined to rebuild their lives at home despite economic hardship, harsh winter conditions, and the threat of renewed violence.
For 47-year-old Zakaria, sunlight is the only source of warmth after spending a frigid night in a house devoid of doors and windows. He returned to Syria after having spent 11 years as a refugee in Lebanon.
Zakaria said signs of past civil war mark nearly every house in the neighborhood, home to over 120 families.
"When I returned, I found nothing was left in my house. The house was uninhabitable, no doors, no windows, no electricity, no water. All lifelines are missing. How can we get by in winter?" said Zakaria Alloush, Syrian returnee from Lebanon.
Zakaria, now jobless, spends his days trying to make his home habitable, draping tarpaulins over the window openings to protect his family from the encroaching cold.
The sounds of fighter jets overhead, heading north, add another layer of anxiety to Zakaria's already precarious situation. Yet, despite the looming threat of renewed conflict, he remains steadfast.
"I have no intention of going to Lebanon, I always wanted to return home. This is our homeland. Whatever happens, we will stay. We can't forsake our country as it needs us now, so we will not quit on it," said Zakaria.
Zakaria's neighborhood, scarred by years of war and neglect, bears witness to similar stories of hardship. The fragile peace is punctuated by the distant rumble of jets and bombings in nearby Hama, a stark reminder of the ongoing conflict. News of potential fighting in the north further fuels the pervasive unease.
Similar stories of sacrifice and determination abound among the returnees. Khatar, a mother of five who fled Lebanon with her disabled husband, is struggling not only to repair her home, but also to make ends meet with no income besides aid.
"This is our homeland and our house. We decided to repair our house and stay here. My children want to come back to join the military and serve their country. We hope to get assistance to repair our house so that my children can return and live here. What we need now is safety, and we want our country to become safe like it used to be," said Khatar.
More than 400,000 Syrian refugees have returned to Syria from Lebanon, fleeing the deadly confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel, said the U.N. in late November.
Syrian returnees vow to rebuild homeland despite challenges
Syrian returnees vow to rebuild homeland despite challenges
