New Batch of Syrian Refugees Return Home from Lebanon

Tens of Syrian refugees in the border villages of Shebaa and al-Arqoub started crossing the border from Lebanon on Monday, the latest group to return to Syria from its western neighbor, the National News Agency reported on Monday.

Eight buses carrying around 150 displaced people have crossed the Masnaa border into Syria, NNA said.

Russia has put forward an initiative to return hundreds of thousands of refugees to Syria, and hundreds have returned from Lebanon over the past weeks.

Many have returned from the northeastern Lebanese town of Arsal over the past weeks.

Lebanon is home to some 1 million Syrian refugees, a large number for a country of 4.5 million people.

The Russian initiative was proposed following the summit in Helsinki between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, although it was not clear whether the U.S. supported the proposal.