Ibrahim Lauds Hizbullah Refugee Role as New Batch Leaves for Syria

General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim has welcomed Hizbullah's announcement that it has started accepting applications from Syrian refugees seeking to return to their war-battered country, as a new batch of refugees left the border town of Arsal for Syria.

In remarks to al-Akhbar newspaper published Saturday, Ibrahim said that Hizbullah's move “will eventually contribute to General Security's efforts to settle the situations of those seeking to return,” hoping the announcement will “receive the needed response from the refugees.”

“The step aids our work on the file which we are coordinating with the U.N. refugee agency and Syrian authorities,” Ibrahim added, stressing that any return will only be “voluntary and safe.”

The National News Agency meanwhile reported that a new batch of refugees had started leaving the town of Arsal through the Wadi Hmayyed checkpoint towards the border town's outskirts.

“448 people registered on the lists of the Lebanese General Security are expected to leave for the towns of Flita, Ras al-Maara and Hawsh Arab in the Syrian Qalamoun region,” NNA said, adding that “the Lebanese Red Cross and medical and emergency crews are carrying out logistic measures and necessary medical assistance through medics and a field hospital present at the site, amid security protection from the Lebanese Army.”