Refugee agency chief warns that the number of Syrians leaving Lebanon is likely to rise
Time:2024-05-22 10:52:06 Source:healthViews(143)
BRUSSELS (AP) — The number of Syrian refugees leaving Lebanon is likely to keep rising, the head of a top international agency working with migrants warned Tuesday, as pressure builds due to their arrival on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus.
Amy Pope, director general of the International Organization for Migration, said that around 3,000 Syrians have left Lebanon since January, compared to 4,500 for the whole of last year. Many of them have headed to Cyprus, about 110 miles (180 kilometers) away.
In response, Cyprus suspended the processing of asylum applications by Syrian nationals earlier this month due to the large numbers. Cypriot authorities have reportedly dispatched police patrol vessels just outside Lebanese territorial waters to thwart refugee boats trying to head to Cyprus.
Pope told The Associated Press that governments are cutting aid funding to agencies working with people who have fled Syria, which has been ravaged by civil war for over 13 years, and that this is making things worse. At the same time, some Lebanese communities are getting tired of hosting them.
Previous:Midwest storms: Large hail, torrential rain and tornadoes and more is coming
Next:Tagovailoa misses Dolphins' OTA day to attend Saban's charity golf tournament
You may also like
- Congo names third American in a foiled coup plot as mourners gather in Utah to remember plot leader
- Taiwan's strongest earthquake in 25 years kills 9 people, 50 missing
- Fire kills 29 people at Istanbul nightclub during daytime renovations
- West Coast meat processor admits water quality failure
- US defender John Brooks to leave German club Hoffenheim
- Free school lunches: Studies show better attendance, improved alertness
- Big, expensive, and not fit for purpose: What you need to know about Premier House
- US Senators Express Concern Over North Korea
- Victims of UK's infected blood scandal to receive final compensation payments