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.
Related articles:
Related suggestion:
Rookie Andy Pages has 3 RBIs to continue hot start as Dodgers beat Diamondbacks 8Inside Layton Williams' 5A ride on a fast catamaran led Lindsey Vonn to join U.S. SailGP Team's board of directorsFallacies and facts about China's overcapacityDodgers play an entire game without striking out once for the first time since 2006Chinese scientist who first published COVID sequence stages protest after being locked out of labA ride on a fast catamaran led Lindsey Vonn to join U.S. SailGP Team's board of directorsMan United's ENTIRE squad 'is up for sale'Chiselled exNew York special election will fill vacancy in Congress created by resignation of Democrat Higgins
2.9764s , 6498.359375 kb
Copyright © 2024 Powered by Refugee agency chief warns that the number of Syrians leaving Lebanon is likely to rise ,Planet Panorama news portal