by Hummam Sheikh Ali
DEIR BA'ALBA, Syria, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Mohammad al-Khalif, a Syrian fleeing to Lebanon in 2012 with his family, recently made the arduous journey back to his hometown of the Deir Ba'alba neighborhood, one of the conflict flashpoints back in the early years of the Syrian civil war, in Syria's central province of Homs.
Married with six children -- four sons and two daughters born between 2009-2024 -- al-Khalif told Xinhua he had established a semblance of normalcy in Lebanon throughout the years, by taking odd jobs and receiving assistance from the United Nations.
"We were living (in Lebanon). Life was difficult, but we've managed," he said.
However, the onset of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon shattered that fragile stability. Fearing for his family's safety, al-Khalif felt having no choice but to return to Syria under "difficult circumstances."
"Life was hard, and the war there added new difficulties. It's displacement after displacement," he lamented.
The way back home was not easy and pleasant, as al-Khalif and his family had to charge through constant Israeli shelling on Lebanon to reach the other side of the border. The journey, which normally takes three hours, is now stretched to 12.
And after finally returning to his home in Syria, al-Khalif was shocked to discover that the house once he resided in is now windowless and doorless, with no water or services. "We're trying to fix it, but it's difficult without help," he said.
Having been back in Syria for about a month, al-Khalif now finds himself in a new hassle -- getting a proper job. "In Syria now, we are safe. There is no fear of war. But I worry about my children and my wife. I fear I won't be able to provide them with a good life, with food and drink," he said.
Zakaria Suleiman Alloush, 47, has a similar story. He fled Syria in 2013 with his family, seeking safety in Lebanon. For years, he supported his five children, aged 11 to 22, through agricultural and other strenuous work.
"We left our home (in Syria) with sadness," Alloush recalled. But as the Israel-Hezbollah conflict escalated, Lebanon no longer felt safe. War, violence, and displacement -- the tragic circumstances he had fled in Syria -- played out again in Lebanon, a place he had believed would provide sanctuary.
Returning to Syria brought little solace. The familiar places he once knew were gone, reduced to rubble. "Our homes, the familiar landmarks we grew up with... nothing remained," he said. "It's a feeling of severe pain."
Like al-Khalif, Alloush struggles with rebuilding. "Our homes need everything -- doors, windows, heating. We also need food and aid," he said.
According to UN data, more than 400,000 Syrian refugees had returned from Lebanon to Syria as of Sept. 23. For al-Khalif, Alloush and their fellow Syrian returnees, the path to rebuilding lives in a war-torn homeland remains fraught with obstacles.
Across Syria, the deep scars of a civil war that began over 13 years ago remain stark. Residential buildings are filled with gaping holes where windows once were, their facades marred by years of conflict; Families are draping sacks and tarpaulins over the empty frames, attempting to shield themselves from the crawling winter; The makeshift coverings are fluttering in the wind.
Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh on Sunday, United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said the government needs to continue "to do what it has done best so far, and to provide protection and security for those who are returning."
"We need to see that the international community lives up to its responsibility and increases its funding to Syria in this very critical situation," he added.
