The 13th and possibly last mission under Brazil’s Operation Cedar Roots carried 150 passengers, including elderly persons and children, back to safety. For many, the relief of reaching Brazilian soil was tempered by the devastation they left behind.
Brazilian Nura Yassine (second from right) who lived in Lebanon for 16 years, reunites with her family in Brazil
A Lebanon “without the sounds of warplanes”
The flight marked a turning point for individuals like Nura Yassine, a Brazilian who had spent 16 years in Lebanon. Reflecting on her experience, she described the war as a source of constant fear and distress.
“The war generated a lot of fear and negative thoughts,” she said. “I’m relieved to be in Brazil and hope to return one day to a Lebanon without the sounds of warplanes.”
As the largest repatriation initiative of Brazilians from a conflict zone, Operation Cedar Roots underscores the importance of international cooperation in addressing humanitarian crises.
Ms. Miranda highlighted that the initiative involved “many hands,” including various ministries, UN agencies, and civil society organizations, and, in particular, the Arab-Lebanese diaspora.