Nadia, a Syrian mother, was overcome with emotion as she crossed the border from Syria to Lebanon to reunite with her son after nearly a decade of separation. Her son, Mohammed, had left their family home in Hasaka in northern Syria in 2013 amidst the escalating war, seeking refuge in Germany. Now 22 years old, Mohammed was just 14 when he last saw his family.
Accompanied by her husband Saiman, Nadia arrived at the Masnaa border crossing with a few suitcases, eager to make their way to Beirut to catch a flight to Germany. The recent fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had triggered mixed emotions among Syrians, with some rushing back home after years in exile while others expressed concerns about the country's future.
