Apr 18, 2018

Around 500 Syrian refugees left southern Lebanon on Wednesday under an agreement between authorities in Beirut and Damascus that provides for their return to their home country, AFP's correspondent said.

The UN's refugee agency said it was aware of the returns but was not involved in the agreement, "considering the prevailing humanitarian and security situation in Syria."

On Wednesday, 15 buses provided by Syria reached the southern Lebanese town of Shebaa to transport refugees out, AFP's correspondent said.

They were accompanied by Lebanon's General Security forces, which is present along the country's borders.

An estimated 500 Syrian refugees, who had been living for years in Shebaa after fleeing the war in their neighbouring homeland, boarded the buses.