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Lebanon calls for Syrian refugees to return to ‘calm’ areas

October 16, 2017 at 12:42 pm

A refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon on 21 March 2017 (Ratib Al Safadi/Anadolu Agency)

The international community needs to help Syrian refugees in Lebanon return to “calm” parts of Syria, Lebanese President Michel Aoun said today, saying Lebanon can no longer cope.

Aoun said he wanted the safe return of refugees and was not asking those who have political problems with the Syrian government to go back, the presidential media office said.

He also asked international aid agencies not to “scare” refugees who want to return from doing so.

One million Syrian refugees are registered with the UNHCR in Lebanon, and the number of Syrians in the country is expected to be much higher as there are thousands of unregistered families and many more who are awaiting formal recognition.

Read: Lebanon to evacuate Palestinian refugees to extend highway