Several hundred Syrians who have lived for years as refugees in Lebanon left for their home country on Wednesday in a rare case of a mass return of those who left the country since the Syrian civil war began in 2011.

Over 500 people, including children and the elderly, left the Shebaa area in southeast Lebanon in 15 buses for the Beit Jinn district in Syria, in western Ghouta, which was recaptured from rebels by pro-government forces in December.

A Syrian refugee, Adnan Hamadeh said, “No matter how long a person is absent, they will return to their homeland, I cannot say anything else. The love of our homeland is more important than anything else in the world. I want to see my mother, brothers and family and try to put our hands into the country and hopefully we can re-build this country.”

The convoy was organised by the Lebanese authorities, the state news agency reported.

The United Nations refugee agency UNHCR, in a statement, said it was not involved in organising “these returns or other returns at this point, considering the prevailing humanitarian and security situation in Syria”.

Syrian government regained control of western and eastern Ghouta after several evacuation deals reached with rebels, saying it will rehabilitate the towns and cities to receive those who have fled the war.