Report: Refugees in Arsal Outskirts to be Relocated over Rising Terror Threat

A camp for Syrian refugees that lies behind the Lebanese army's last base on the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal will likely be closed by the Lebanese authorities, As Safir daily reported on Monday.

The newspaper quoted high-ranking sources as saying that the refugees will most likely be placed in different encampments in the eastern Bekaa Valley 10 to 15 kilometers from the border with Syria.

The camp has become a safe haven for terrorists, who are using it to booby-trap vehicles and plot attacks against the Lebanese army or civilian targets, said As Safir.

According to the report, Hizbullah had previously rejected to place the refugees in other encampments in the Bekaa in accordance with a proposal made by Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq. But it showed more leniency towards the issue in the latest dialogue session with its rivals from al-Mustaqbal Movement.

Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal officials have been engaged in talks since December. They have so far taken several decisions to limit sectarian tension mainly linked to the war in neighboring Syria.

As Safir also quoted Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas as saying that there are around 1,500 encampments for Syrian refugees across Lebanon.

Some of them have been established chaotically and are causing increasing social and security tension.

Derbas said he has made a proposal to place the refugees in central camps in the Bekaa and norther Akkar district away from the border with Syria.

Such camps would provide heath facilities and would be under close security watch, he said.

This proposal is yet to see light although it would limit tension, he said.

The minister denied that the refugees, whose numbers have reached 1.5 million in Lebanon, would be naturalized.

The displaced Syrians will return to their country as soon as there is peace in Syria, said Derbas.

G.K.

H.K.