Source: Iraq gives Lebanese one-week deadline for free departure

Shafaq News/ Iraqi authorities gave Lebanese nationals in Iraq one week to return home for free, warning of residency violation fines after the deadline, a security source said on Saturday.

The source told Shafaq News that “between 5,000 and 7,000 Lebanese are currently in Iraq, mostly in Karbala and Najaf. Many arrived following the outbreak of the latest conflict between Israel and Lebanon.”

The temporary residency permit granted to Lebanese citizens will expire on Feb. 20, after which Iraq’s Interior Ministry will begin imposing fees and fines on those who overstay, the source added.

Iraq had previously opened its air and land borders to Lebanese fleeing the war. Lebanese nationals subsequently arrived, dispersing across several provinces, including Najaf, Karbala, Babil, Baghdad, Diyala, and Basra.

The war with Israel, which led to widespread destruction and casualties across several regions of Lebanon, prompted over 20,000 Lebanese citizens to seek refuge in Iraq. Lebanese refugees began to return home in groups since the implementation of the ceasefire agreement. Last month, 260 people left Babil Province, central Iraq, after completing the necessary arrangements.