Lebanese people in Syria

Ethnic group

Lebanese people in SyriaTotal population

Around 100,000 refugees
Regions with significant populations
Mostly Damascus and Aleppo. Also Yabroud, Al-Zabadani, Homs, Hama, Latakia, Tartus
Languages
Arabic, French, English
Religion
Islam (Shia/Sunni) and Christianity (Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic, Maronite Catholic, Protestant)
Related ethnic groups
Lebanese people, Lebanese diaspora, Lebanese American, Lebanese Argentine, Lebanese Brazilian, Lebanese Canadians, Lebanese Mexican, Lebanese Colombian
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Lebanese people

Emblem of Lebanon
(Lebanese cedar)

Lebanese people

* Lebanese people by religion:
* Lebanese Muslims
* Shia
* Sunni
* Druze
* Lebanese Christians
* Maronite
* Greek Orthodox
* Melkite
* Protestant

Communities

Native communities outside of Lebanon:

* Cyprus
* Syria

Lebanese diaspora:

Europe

* Germany
* France
* United Kingdom
* Sweden
* Greece
* Spain

Overseas

* United States
* Canada
* Australia
* New Zealand
* Argentina
* Brazil
* Mexico
* Colombia
* Uruguay
* Chile
* Ecuador
* Venezuela
* Haiti
* Jamaica
* Paraguay
* Ivory Coast
* Senegal
* Sierra Leone
* South Africa

Middle East

* Egypt
* Kuwait
* United Arab Emirates
* Qatar
* Saudi Arabia
* Iran

Culture

* Lebanese culture

* Religion

* Cultural Heritage sites
* Architecture

* Art
* Literature

* Music
* Cinema

* Cuisine

* Sport

History

* History of ancient Lebanon
* History of Lebanon
* Timeline of Lebanese history
* Phoenicia
* County of Tripoli
* Ottoman rule
* 1860 conflict
* Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate
* 1958 Lebanon crisis
* Greater Lebanon
* Lebanese Civil War
* South Lebanon conflict
* Taif Agreement

Language

* Arabic
* Lebanese Arabic

Foreign
French

French language in Lebanon
English

Politics

* Lebanese politics
* President
* Prime Minister
* List of political parties in Lebanon
* National Pact
* Lebanese nationalism
* Phoenicianism
* Coat of arms of Lebanon
* Flag of Lebanon

Lebanon portal

* v
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* e

The Lebanese people in Syria are people from Lebanon, or those of Lebanese descent, who live in the country of Syria. As of October 1, 2024, around 100,000 Lebanese refugees have fled to Syria due to the ongoing Israel–Hezbollah conflict.[1]

## Background

[edit]

On 1 September 1920, France reestablished Greater Lebanon after the Moutasarrifiya rule removed several regions belonging to the Principality of Lebanon and gave them to Syria.[2] The exact population of Lebanese people in Syria is quite difficult to define. In terms of social consequences, the division of Bilad al-Sham presented many dilemmas for its inhabitants. For example, up until 1950, many Lebanese who were born before 1920 considered themselves Syrians[3] Many who were considered Lebanese by the French mandate worked as Syrian educators, businessmen, traders, etc. and did not distinguish themselves from the Syrians as such.[3] As to border lines, they were fictitious in the eyes of the population, especially for those who were living on one side or the other of the border. Hence, an extended family, tribe or clan, found itself divided by such lines, placing one part of the family within Syrian territory, and the other part within Lebanon.[3] In addition, there are several towns and villages inhabited by a community of some 15,000 Lebanese Shiites who have lived for decades on the Syrian side of a frontier that is not clearly demarcated in places and not fully controlled by border authorities. They are mostly Lebanese citizens, though some have dual citizenship or are only Syrian citizens.[4]

## Religious affiliations

[edit]

The Lebanese people of Syria are predominantly Lebanese Shia Twelver Muslim and Lebanese Christian (Greek Orthodox, Melkite, Maronite, Protestant) with a tiny minority that belongs to Sunni Islam in Lebanon.

More specifically, most Lebanese people within the territory of Syria belong to either Twelver Shia Islam, Maronite or Greek Orthodox Christianity.

The Lebanese Twelvers/Imamis in Syria, numbering about 750,000 or 3% of the population of Syria. In Damascus there are Lebanese Twelvers/Imamis living near to the Shia pilgrimage sites, especially in the al-Amara-quarter which is near to Umayyad Mosque and Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque, and around Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque. Another important site is Bab Saghir Cemetery. The Shia Twelvers in Syria have close links to the Lebanese Shi'a Twelvers.[5] Twelver Shias are also found in villages in Idlib, Homs and Aleppo provinces. More specifically, the Lebanese Shiite enclave on the Syrian side of the border is near the central city of Homs and across from Hermel, a predominantly Shiite region of northeastern Lebanon.[4]

As a result of the Syrian Civil War many Lebanese people from Syria, mainly dual citizens of Lebanon and Syria, returned and continue to return to Lebanon.[4][6] Many of these are dual citizens from the so-called “Lebanese villages”, predominantly Shiite villages just inside Syria, where the villagers are said to hold Lebanese citizenship.[7] Also, Lebanese Shias try to defend the Lebanese Shias' area around the holy Shiite shrine of Sayida Zeinab, named for the granddaughter of Islam's Prophet Muhammad's, south of Damascus.[4] The conflict around these border areas with Lebanese minority populations is used to increase the Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon.[7]

## See also

[edit]

* List of Lebanese people in Syria
* Lebanese diaspora
* Lebanon–Syria relations
* Syrians in Lebanon

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Video. UN: Around 100,000 Lebanese refugees have fled to Syria". euronews. 2024-10-02. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
2. ^ Chorbishop Seely Beggiani. "Aspects of Maronite History (Part Eleven) The twentieth century in Western Asia". Stmaron.org. Archived from the original on 2006-06-29. Retrieved 2013-01-17.
3. ^ a b c The Origins of Syrian Nationhood: Histories, Pioneers and Identity
4. ^ a b c d "Lebanese Shiite fighters backed by Hezbollah fighting inside Syria near border". Fox News. 25 March 2015.
5. ^ Report: Hizbullah Training Shiite Syrians to Defend Villages against Rebels
6. ^ THE SITUATION & NEEDS OF LEBANESE RETURNEES FROM SYRIA
7. ^ a b "Crossing into Syria with Lebanese pro-Assad militia". Archived from the original on 2018-12-28. Retrieved 2015-01-31.

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Demographics of Syria

Religions|

* Christianity
* Eastern Orthodox Church
* Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch
* Syriac Orthodox Church
* Armenian Orthodox Church
* Catholic Church in Syria
* Melkite Greek Catholic Church
* Syriac Catholic Church
* Armenian Catholic Church
* Maronite Church
* Latin Church
* Chaldean Catholic Church
* Assyrian Church of the East
* Protestant

* Islam
* Sunni
* Shia
* Alawites
* Ismailis
* Druze1

* Jews
* Yazidis

Ethnic groups|

* Albanians
* Arabs
* Bedouins
* Armenians
* Assyrians
* Black people of Yarmouk Basin
* Bosniaks
* Chechens
* Circassians
* Dom/Nawar (Gypsy)
* Greeks
* Jews
* Kurds
* Lebanese
* Turkmens/Turkomans (Turks)

Foreign nationals|

* Greeks
* Iranians
* Iraqis
* Lebanese
* Pakistanis
* Palestinians
* Venezuelans

1 Under the terms of the Syrian Constitution the Druze community is designated as a part of the Syrian Muslim community.

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Lebanese people and diaspora

Countries|

| Africa|

* Egypt
* Syro-Lebanese
* Ghana
* Democratic Republic of the Congo
* Guinea
* Ivory Coast
* Nigeria
* Senegal
* Sierra Leone
* South Africa

|

Americas|

* Argentina
* Brazil
* Canada
* Chile
* Colombia
* Ecuador
* Guadeloupe island
* Haiti
* Jamaica
* Mexico
* Paraguay
* United States
* Detroit
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

Asia|

* Cyprus
* Iran
* Israel
* Jews
* Prisoners
* Kuwait
* Qatar
* Saudi Arabia
* Syria
* Turkey
* United Arab Emirates

Europe|

* Austria
* Belgium
* Bulgaria
* Denmark
* France
* Germany
* Greece
* Italy
* Netherlands
* Romania
* Serbia
* Spain
* Sweden
* United Kingdom

Oceania|

* Australia
* New Zealand

Personalities|

| Africa|

* Egypt
* Ghana
* Liberia
* Nigeria
* Sierra Leone
* South Africa

|

Americas|

* Argentina
* Brazil
* Canada
* Caribbean
* Curaçao
* Dominican Republic
* Haiti
* Jamaica
* Puerto Rico
* Chile
* Colombia
* Cuba
* Ecuador
* Guatemala
* Mexico
* United States
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

Western-Asia|

* Cyprus
* Syria
* Saudi Arabia
* Turkey
* United Arab Emirates

Europe|

* Belgium
* Bulgaria
* Denmark
* France
* Germany
* Italy
* Monaco
* Netherlands
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* United Kingdom

Oceania|

* Australia
* New Zealand

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