Syrian refugees deported from Lebanon face arrest, conscription, say relatives

Youssef, a Syrian refugee and single father of two girls, attends an interview with Reuters, in Beirut, Lebanon April 26, 2023. REUTERS/Issam Abdallah

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian refugees detained by security forces in Lebanon and deported have been subject to arrest and forced conscription upon return to their war-ravaged homeland, their relatives and rights advocates have told Reuters.

Some said their loved ones were being held by the Syrian army's Fourth Division, which is headed by President Bashar al-Assad's brother and has been sanctioned for rights violations.