Refugee agency chief warns that the number of Syrians leaving Lebanon is likely to rise
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
Inquiry slams UK authorities for failures that killed thousands in infected blood scandal
LONDON (AP) — British authorities and the country’s public health service knowingly exposed tens of2024-05-21Timeline of the Assange legal saga over extradition to the US on espionage charges
LONDON (AP) — WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange faces a key hearing Monday in his decade-and-a-half-l2024-05-21- RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Leaning into the microphone in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Nora let loose a2024-05-21
Chinese youngsters embrace more diversified tourism options
* China's tourism market is upgrading and becoming a strong source of economic growth. Neo-Chinese s2024-05-21- Weekend Update co-anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che continued their annual tradition of 'making eac2024-05-21
The reason WHY Beyonce's hit Cowboy Carter album wasn't nominated at the 2024 ACM Awards
Beyonce's new album Cowboy Carter, her first journey into country-Americana music, has been a bonafi2024-05-21
atest comment