Published on, Sept. 2 -- September 2, 2025 4:55 PM

More than 200,000 Syrian refugees have returned home from Lebanon this year after the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, the United Nations confirmed on Tuesday. The Syrian civil war, which began in 2011 following Assad's brutal crackdown on anti-government protests, forced millions of people to flee their homes, leaving half of Syria's population displaced internally or abroad. However, the ouster of Assad by Islamist forces on December 8 sparked renewed hope among refugees, pushing many families to take the risk of going back.

Lebanese authorities recently introduced a plan to encourage voluntary returns by offering $100 in financial assistance and waiving fines for those who agr...