Maher walks 3km to work every day, navigating Beirut's side streets and shadowy alleys to avoid detection. His journey is perilous, fraught with the constant fear of arrest and deportation.
At 6am, Maher kisses his eight children as they sleep, recites a small prayer, and slips out of his modest home in Beirut’s working-class neighbourhood of Sabra. Despite owning a motorbike, he avoids using it, knowing the risks that can be presented at the numerous vehicle checkpoints scattered throughout the city.
The 33-year-old Syrian knows that every time he steps out of his house, there is a possibility he may not return.
“I take my precautions,” he said. “But I’m always terrified.”
Statistically, there is more than an 83 per cent chance that a Syrian walking down the street in Lebanon is doing so illegally. According to UN estimates, this percentage represents Syrians in Lebanon who don’t have access to legal residency, leaving them vulnerable to arrest and deportation.
Legal residency is the pretext used by Lebanese authorities to intensify their crackdowns on Syrians. Lebanese politicians have long claimed many Syrians are economic migrants and that Syria is safe to return to – a claim rights groups and Syrians themselves dispute.
Most Syrians came to Lebanon to escape war, persecution, or forced military conscription.
Mohammad Hassan, head of the Access Centre for Human Rights, states that Lebanese authorities have “strategically” created a prohibitive residency process for Syrians “in order to wield their illegal status as leverage.”
The latest crackdown on Syrians in early May included raids, evictions, arrests, and deportations, further restricting their ability to obtain residency or work permits.
“You get waves of clampdowns that progressively get worse,” said Nadia Hardman, a refugee and migrant rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Every year they reach new lows.”
Maher came to Lebanon legally in late 2020 and immediately sought employment at a cleaning company that offered to sponsor him. However, the complex and restrictive residency application process thwarted his efforts to remain legal. Human Rights Watch describes the residency process as “prohibitive,” citing bureaucratic hurdles, high fees, and an “arbitrary application of the regulations” that effectively bar Syrians from obtaining legal status.
Residency rules have only become more restrictive since then, leaving Syrian refugees stuck in a “cycle of illegality,” according to Ms Hardman.
Since the security crackdown began, Maher, now working informally as a cleaner in an office building, has been gripped by fear every time he leaves his home. Flying checkpoints have become a common sight in Beirut and other cities, making each commute a potential encounter with arrest and deportation.
“If I stay home and don’t work, I can’t provide for my family,” he explained. “But if I go to work and get caught at a checkpoint, I’ll get detained or deported, and then I definitely can’t provide for my family.”
The Internal Security Forces claim their security plan aims to “control violations.” Originally intended to last 10 days, the plan has been extended “indefinitely”, an ISF source told The National, with checkpoints appearing spontaneously.
Lebanese citizens have also felt the impact of this crackdown, facing fines and vehicle seizures.
However, Syrians, who cannot legally register vehicles or obtain driver’s licences without residency, have been disproportionately affected.
Deportation scare
Maher's motorbike, bought second-hand two months ago, now sits unused.
On multiple occasions, The National witnessed ISF officers at flying checkpoints stop drivers to ask if they were Syrian or Lebanese. Lebanese nationals were often allowed to pass, while Syrians without legal residency were detained.
An ISF representative denied that the agency profiles Syrians at checkpoints.
Another ISF source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The National that some checkpoints exist “to stop Syrians who violate the residency system”.
But, he added, the ISF “don’t ask people at checkpoints whether they are of Syrian nationality. The security officer asks for identification papers at the checkpoint.”
Syrians without residency are then transferred to General Security, the source said, “to decide whether they will be given a sponsor or deported.”
The National could not obtain an official number of how many Syrian refugees have been deported from Lebanon.
For Maher and many other Syrians, returning to Syria is not an option. Political repression and pervasive surveillance make it too dangerous.
One wrong word or misstep could lead to his disappearance. Rights organisations have documented numerous instances of individuals deported from Lebanon to Syria only to be killed, arrested, or disappeared upon arrival.
Like many men of military age, Maher has also escaped forced army conscription.
“I saw what the army was like during the war,” he said. “I don’t ever want to be ordered to kill people, and I don’t want to watch it happen either.”
For the past two months, he says he’s been desperately hoping to find a way to legalise his status in Lebanon. “I just want to be legal. But they’ve made it impossible.”
Although Maher entered the country legally, a representative of General Security told The National that he had missed his window to gain legal residency when his visa expired.
“He has to leave. It’s not possible,” the source said.
Political scapegoats
Lebanon, struggling with a financial crisis and the strain of hosting 1.5 million Syrian refugees, has seen a surge in anti-Syrian sentiment. Politicians, vying for power in a country plagued by corruption and mismanagement – leaving the population to fend for itself – have increasingly scapegoated Syrian refugees, amplifying public resentment.
In 2015, at the height of Syria’s war and refugee crisis, the Lebanese government asked the UN's Refugee Agency to suspend the registration of Syrian refugees in Lebanon. The decision meant that Syrians escaping the war after 2015 were not officially recognised refugees, effectively blurring the distinction between them and migrants.
The April killing of local Lebanese party official Pascal Soleiman, blamed on a Syrian gang, set off a new wave of anti-refugee sentiment and vigilantism fuelled by politicians.
In early May, the European Commission announced a one billion euro aid package to Lebanon, partially aimed at bolstering Lebanese security services to curb irregular migration. Days later, security services initiated their crackdown on Syrian refugees, escalating raids, evictions, and deportations, while further restricting their ability to obtain residency permits and work in the country.
The EU package was widely perceived as “a bribe”: paying off Lebanese institutions to prevent Syrian refugees from reaching European shores.
“The EU is happy and eager to pay off neighbouring states as a dumping ground for refugees,” Ms Hardman of HRW said. “In the wake of the deal we’ve seen a new crackdown in Lebanon. It’s almost a European carte blanche to Lebanese authorities – telling them ‘We know what you do, we’ve seen the reports, and we won’t do anything as long as you keep them off our shores.’”
Dangerous commute
On a mid-May afternoon, a row of microbuses, slowed by an ISF checkpoint, idled in a congested downtown road.
An officer poked his head into one of the vehicles.
“Whoever doesn’t have ID or residency, get out of the van now,” he boomed.
A group of unhappy men were escorted out of the van and taken away.
Inside the van, the only passengers remaining were a group of Sudanese foreign workers.
“They asked me ‘Where are you from’?” one of the men told The National. “I said ‘Sudan’. They answered ‘If you’re Sudanese you’re fine, you can stay.’”
When asked by The National if they had legal residencies, they laughed dryly in response.
“No. But it doesn’t matter, they’re only looking for Syrians,” the man said. The chauffeur nodded in agreement.
The van ambled on.
It was a van Maher could have easily been on if he had not decided that walking was the safest commute.
In the past, he routinely took a microbus to work. He would disembark to pray the early morning prayer at the Mohammad Al Amin mosque – next to where the ISF checkpoint happened to be on that mid-May afternoon.
Maher was not aware of the downtown checkpoint but expressed little surprise at the news.
“I stopped taking the van and I stopped praying at that mosque and I don’t walk on that road any more,” he said. “Because I’m afraid. Thank God, or they might have deported me by now.”
Zayed Sustainability Prize
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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The years Ramadan fell in May
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Schedule
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20DarDoc%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Samer%20Masri%2C%20Keswin%20Suresh%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%24800%2C000%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Flat6Labs%2C%20angel%20investors%20%2B%20Incubated%20by%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi's%20Department%20of%20Health%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2010%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Teams
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
More coverage from the Future Forum
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
SCORES
Yorkshire Vikings 144-1 in 12.5 overs
(Tom Kohler 72 not out, Harry Broook 42 not out)
bt Hobart Hurricanes 140-7 in 20 overs
(Caleb Jewell 38, Sean Willis 35, Karl Carver 2-29, Josh Shaw 2-39)
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
TO%20CATCH%20A%20KILLER
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Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
About RuPay
A homegrown card payment scheme launched by the National Payments Corporation of India and backed by the Reserve Bank of India, the country’s central bank
RuPay process payments between banks and merchants for purchases made with credit or debit cards
It has grown rapidly in India and competes with global payment network firms like MasterCard and Visa.
In India, it can be used at ATMs, for online payments and variations of the card can be used to pay for bus, metro charges, road toll payments
The name blends two words rupee and payment
Some advantages of the network include lower processing fees and transaction costs
Stamp%20duty%20timeline
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The years Ramadan fell in May
The five pillars of Islam
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
More on Quran memorisation:
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
HWJN
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
if you go
The flights
The closest international airport to the TMB trail is Geneva (just over an hour’s drive from the French ski town of Chamonix where most people start and end the walk). Direct flights from the UAE to Geneva are available with Etihad and Emirates from about Dh2,790 including taxes.
The trek
The Tour du Mont Blanc takes about 10 to 14 days to complete if walked in its entirety, but by using the services of a tour operator such as Raw Travel, a shorter “highlights” version allows you to complete the best of the route in a week, from Dh6,750 per person. The trails are blocked by snow from about late October to early May. Most people walk in July and August, but be warned that trails are often uncomfortably busy at this time and it can be very hot. The prime months are June and September.
Fifa Club World Cup quarter-final
Esperance de Tunis 0
Al Ain 3 (Ahmed 02’, El Shahat 17’, Al Ahbabi 60’)
The Africa Institute 101
Housed on the same site as the original Africa Hall, which first hosted an Arab-African Symposium in 1976, the newly renovated building will be home to a think tank and postgraduate studies hub (it will offer master’s and PhD programmes). The centre will focus on both the historical and contemporary links between Africa and the Gulf, and will serve as a meeting place for conferences, symposia, lectures, film screenings, plays, musical performances and more. In fact, today it is hosting a symposium – 5-plus-1: Rethinking Abstraction that will look at the six decades of Frank Bowling’s career, as well as those of his contemporaries that invested social, cultural and personal meaning into abstraction.
Company%20profile
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Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12
Who is Allegra Stratton?
- Previously worked at The Guardian, BBC’s Newsnight programme and ITV News
- Took up a public relations role for Chancellor Rishi Sunak in April 2020
- In October 2020 she was hired to lead No 10’s planned daily televised press briefings
- The idea was later scrapped and she was appointed spokeswoman for Cop26
- Ms Stratton, 41, is married to James Forsyth, the political editor of The Spectator
- She has strong connections to the Conservative establishment
- Mr Sunak served as best man at her 2011 wedding to Mr Forsyth
more from Janine di Giovanni
More on animal trafficking
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
The five pillars of Islam
GOODBYE%20JULIA
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohamed%20Kordofani%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiran%20Riak%2C%20Eiman%20Yousif%2C%20Nazar%20Goma%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
5 of the most-popular Airbnb locations in Dubai
Bobby Grudziecki, chief operating officer of Frank Porter, identifies the five most popular areas in Dubai for those looking to make the most out of their properties and the rates owners can secure:
• Dubai Marina
The Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence are popular locations, says Mr Grudziecki, due to their closeness to the beach, restaurants and hotels.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh482 to Dh739
Two bedroom: Dh627 to Dh960
Three bedroom: Dh721 to Dh1,104
• Downtown
Within walking distance of the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and the famous fountains, this location combines business and leisure. “Sure it’s for tourists,” says Mr Grudziecki. “Though Downtown [still caters to business people] because it’s close to Dubai International Financial Centre."
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh497 to Dh772
Two bedroom: Dh646 to Dh1,003
Three bedroom: Dh743 to Dh1,154
• City Walk
The rising star of the Dubai property market, this area is lined with pristine sidewalks, boutiques and cafes and close to the new entertainment venue Coca Cola Arena. “Downtown and Marina are pretty much the same prices,” Mr Grudziecki says, “but City Walk is higher.”
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh524 to Dh809
Two bedroom: Dh682 to Dh1,052
Three bedroom: Dh784 to Dh1,210
• Jumeirah Lake Towers
Dubai Marina’s little brother JLT resides on the other side of Sheikh Zayed road but is still close enough to beachside outlets and attractions. The big selling point for Airbnb renters, however, is that “it’s cheaper than Dubai Marina”, Mr Grudziecki says.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh422 to Dh629
Two bedroom: Dh549 to Dh818
Three bedroom: Dh631 to Dh941
• Palm Jumeirah
Palm Jumeirah's proximity to luxury resorts is attractive, especially for big families, says Mr Grudziecki, as Airbnb renters can secure competitive rates on one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh503 to Dh770
Two bedroom: Dh654 to Dh1,002
Three bedroom: Dh752 to Dh1,152
