Gunfire Targets Syrian Camps in al-Qaa, Tyre as Borj al-Shamali Municipality Denies Expelling Refugees

Two Syrians were wounded Wednesday evening when unknown gunmen opened fire from a car on a Syrian refugee camp in the Bekaa border town of al-Qaa, state-run National News Agency reported.

Meanwhile, MTV said gunfire targeted another Syrian refugee camp in the southern region of Tyre, adding that no casualties were reported.

NNA had reported that the army "carried out several raids this aftermoon in the (southern) Jezzine region, arresting a number of Syrian refugees."

Earlier on Wednesday, head of Borj el-Shamali municipality Ali Deeb denied that Syrian refugee tents were removed from an unofficial camp in the Tyre district town.

“The reports are false and inaccurate,” Deeb told NNA two days after the municipality gave Syrian refugees a 48-hour ultimatum to evacuate their tents and leave the town “or suffer the consequences.”

He pointed out that the municipality agreed with the Syrian refugees that they should reside in their places of work to prevent any assaults against them.

However, Deeb rejected any attacks “against our brothers the Syrians.”

There are around 200 tents in the town.

There has been growing resentment by the Lebanese people against Syrian refugees after Islamist militants from the Islamic State group and al-Qaida-affiliated al-Nusra Front abducted in August a number of soldiers and policemen from the northeastern town of Arsal while withdrawing from the village after fierce clashes with the Lebanese army.

The militants have beheaded two of the captives, sparking angry protests by their families, who have blocked roads and staged demonstrations throughout Lebanon.

Tents housing Syrian refugees in encampments in Beirut's southern suburb neighborhoods of al-Lailaki and Hay al-Sellom were torched after news emerged on the beheading.

Hosting more than 1.1 million Syrians fleeing their country's three-year war, Lebanon is home to the highest number of Syrian refugees in the region, and also to the highest refugee population per capita in the world.

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