Most of Syrian refugees in Lebanese border town of Arsal are preferring to stay despite the brutality of Lebanese army raids, refusing to leave with Jihadist group to northern Idlib province or to eastern Qalamoun region, local reporter said.
200 jihadists are due to head Idlib after a ceasefire took effect on Thursday in a mountainous area of the Lebanese-Syrian border where Lebanon's Hezbollah says it is on the verge of defeating Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militants in their last foothold at the frontier.
Saraya Ahl al-Sham which also reached a deal with Hezbollah said Wednesday that 5000 refugees will flee to eastern Qalamoun, according to rebel commander.
Abu al-Joud la-Qalamouni said the deal has not sealed but he assured the families of rebel fighters and about 5000 displaced who live in Arsal town to head the town of Jayroud and al-Ruhaiba in the eastern Qalamoun.
The Syrian refugees have echoed fears of being arrested and recruited in the regime army if they leave to Qalamoun, others have concerns of being obliged to fight under Nusra banner.
Mesan al-Sehli, 22, refugee from Sehl town said staying in Arsal is the better choice despite the catastrophic situation as more than 15.000 people live in Wadi Hamid where no medics or relief workers are available.
A source familiar with negotiations, brokered by a Lebanese internal security agency, told Reuters the remaining Nusra Front fighters were willing to accept safe passage to rebel-held Idlib. Talks were continuing, the source said.
Three refugees have been killed since the start of Hezbollah offensive to oust jihadists from their last foothold along the border.
Several thousand Syrian refugees occupy camps east of Juroud Arsal, a barren mountainous zone between Syria and Lebanon that has served as a base for Islamic State militants, jihadists and other rebels.
The Arsal region was the scene of one of the most serious spillovers of the Syrian civil war into Lebanon, when Nusra Front and Islamic State militants briefly overran the town of Arsal, abducting dozens of Lebanese soldiers and policemen.
