An operation for the return of 850 refugees to Syria began in southeastern Lebanon on Monday, according to the Al Mayadeen TV channel. This is the fourth and largest group of Syrian refugees who have expressed a wish to return to their homes in the Western Qalamoun area, 60km from Damascus, the report said. The Lebanese Red Cross is monitoring the operation, as well as representatives of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. On July 7, as many as 448 Syrians left a tent camp near the border town of Erbil, while 276 refugees returned to their home country on June 28, TASS said. On April 18, 50 refugees returned to the town of Beit Jinn near Damascus from Lebanon’s Arkub region. Around 1.5 million Syrian refugees are residing in Lebanon.