São Paulo – More than 800,000 people who fled their homes because of the conflict affecting the country have already begun returning to their hometowns. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the return has been driven by a relative lull in the fighting, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported on Tuesday night (Aug. 4).
According to OCHA, 821,077 people had begun returning to their places of origin as of July 30. However, about 360,000 Lebanese remain displaced, including 26,000 who are staying in government-run shelters.
OCHA also said the conflict has disrupted electricity infrastructure serving more than 700,000 people, particularly in southern Lebanon, where most refugees and internally displaced people are located.
Lebanon and Israel are taking part in U.S.-mediated negotiations in Rome, Italy, aimed at ending the conflict, which has been marked by clashes between Hezbollah and Israel.
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