Displaced Syrians return home to rebuild amid destruction

After years of displacement in Lebanon, some Syrian families are returning home following the escalation of fighting between Lebanon and Israel, not to a land of peace and plenty, but to devastated neighborhoods, damaged infrastructure, and limited opportunities.

For families like Basel Barakat's, who fled Aleppo after the battle and spent years in Lebanon seeking safety, the dream was always to come back without oppression or shelling.

Little Ahmad, Basel Barakat's son, was born in Lebanon, but Syria is his true home, a country he only set foot in recently.

After the recent escalation in Lebanon, the family returned to their hometown in Urum al-Kubram, on the outskirts of Aleppo.

When conflict erupted in Lebanon two months ago, over 140,000 Syrians were forced to flee once more, returning to a country already struggling to aid 16 million people.

"We had a dream, a real dream, to go back without Bashar al-Assad, without oppression, without planes, without shelling of this country," said Basel Barakat.

Basel Barakat and his family live in an area shattered by years of war and earthquakes, yet they are slowly rebuilding their home, step by step.

"We came back to our houses that are completely destroyed, dilapidated, buried. I think it would be better to have these two windows. The door here is not mine. There are no doors, no electricity, no water. But it is enough for us to return to our country, our village, our homeland. There is nothing worse than being away from one's homeland," he said.

His aunt Samia Barakat returned with the family, saying rebuilding is hard amid destroyed infrastructure and few jobs.

"I came back to my country. But I am sad because my country is ruined. My homes are ruined. My income is gone. I have nothing," said Samia Barakat.

Ill and widowed, Samia Barakat now lives with her sister. Still, she was determined to return home.

"When I die, they will bury me in the soil of our country, Syria," she said.

Stories like Samia Barakat's are common across Syria. Returning families face the daunting challenge of rebuilding their lives from the ground up.

After years as refugees in Lebanon, some Syrian families are now returning home, but many are coming back to destroyed neighborhoods and limited services.

Still, for many here, returning to Syria is about rebuilding their lives in the place they still call home.

Coming home is only the beginning, and families like the Barakats are finally starting over.

Displaced Syrians return home to rebuild amid destruction

Displaced Syrians return home to rebuild amid destruction

Twenty-six people have been rescued after a nine-story building under construction collapsed early Sunday in Angeles City in the northern Philippines, according to local government authorities.

The Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Angeles said 24 people were pulled from the collapsed structure, while two others were rescued from a nearby aparthotel struck by the incident. Rescue teams are still searching for any individuals who may remain trapped.

Emergency crews cut through layers of shattered concrete and twisted metal, pausing repeatedly to listen for signs of survivors beneath the wreckage.

"Our personnel from the search and rescue team who were conducting the initial assessment were the ones who heard the victims moaning in pain," said Maria Sajili, spokesperson of the Bureau of Fire Protection.

Earlier reports said at least 30 people had been trapped under the building.

The Angeles City Information Office said the accident occurred around 03:00 local time, turning much of the site into a mountain of rubble.

Heavy rains and strong winds preceded the collapse, with 44 millimeters of rainfall recorded between 19:00 and 20:00 on Saturday, according to local atmospheric services.

Several workers managed to escape during the initial collapse, while others nearby suffered minor injuries. Emergency personnel from multiple agencies have since been deployed, but the officials said the effort remained extremely challenging.

Rescue crews are navigating unstable concrete slabs, tight voids within the wreckage, and the constant risk of further collapse.

"Challenges, of course, (include) the heat of the sun, and plus it's a massive construction -- concrete, steel and scaffoldings are very heavy and challenging for our responders," said Jay Pelayo, information officer of Angeles City.

Heavy machinery has been deployed to clear parts of the collapse site, but much of the rescue work is still being carried out by hand, with crews moving cautiously through the unstable wreckage in search of survivors.

Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the collapse. Authorities are now examining whether structural weaknesses, construction issues, or other factors may have played a role in the collapse.

26 rescued from building collapse site in N. Philippines