Lebanese Officials Warn of Huge Pro-Assad Refugee Influx
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Lebanese officials have warned of a huge Syrian refugee influx to Lebanon if the so-called Damascus battle erupts, An Nahar daily reported on Friday.
The ministerial sources told the newspaper that if such an influx takes place, the displaced Syrians will include supporters of Syrian President Bashar Assad from different sects.
If the rebels launch an attack on Damascus and Assad's regime falls, then thousands of people could escape the Syrian capital and head to Lebanon.
The flow of Syrian refugees into Lebanon dropped sharply earlier this year due to restrictions imposed by Lebanese authorities.
Although Lebanese border officials began informally restricting the entry of Syrians last October, Beirut officially imposed visa regulations in January on their neighbors. The move was the first such in decades.
An estimated 4 million people have fled Syria, with more than half of the country's population displaced.
Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas said last week that the number of refugees registered with the U.N. refugee agency, the UNHCR, has reached approximately 1.2 million.
More Syrians have entered the country illegally and are not registered.
An Nahar said that Derbas is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Tammam Salam next Monday to brief him on the result of the consultations he has held with Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi and the Foreign Ministers of Egypt and Tunisia.
Derbas had asked the officials for Arab countries to share the burden of the Syrian refugees, said the daily.
G.K.
D.A.
26 June 2015, 12:09
87
Most Syrians are pro-Assad, and here I was thinking you guys were so concerned and loving about Syrians. Could it be that you actually don't care about them, and all you want is see your masters in riyadh and tel aviv satisfied? ADONBILIVIT!
26 June 2015, 13:12
76
if they are pro assad then they should go back to Syria and be settled in hizbollah liberated areas such as qusair etc.
26 June 2015, 13:39
75
(1). Mowaten, for the first time, the media is now alluding to if and when the Assad regime falls, yet this is the meager contribution you have to offer. All said and done, we Lebanese are now well above our capacity to accept anymore refugees, only yesterday a damning report came out in this regard. Now since Iran is so keen in its support to the Al Assad regime, and by default to the Alawite population, I believe that given our dire situation in Lebanon, it would be right and fitting for Iran to start making serious and apt contingency plans if Damascus was to fall to the rebels. Iran has the space, the right atmosphere and the resources to help the Alawites, if we Lebanese allow them into our country, we could by default bringing the war into Lebanon, since the Sunnis may not be so accommodating to them either.
26 June 2015, 13:40
74
(2). So instead of your empty rhetoric as usual, why not bring about a meaningful contribution to what could amount to a catastrophic situation to all concerned. I still don't see the bombastic Mystic yet and with all his Rambo bravado, why is that? This is the time when you should be able to know who is your real friend, this is the time for Iran to show up, instead of your rants on the KSA, your focus should now be really over Iran, Russia and all those who stood by Al Assad in his war.
26 June 2015, 15:16
61
sure moooowaten the voice of syria... like most of libyans were pro khaddafi the day before he fled.... LOL
26 June 2015, 17:28
21
"for the first time, the media is now alluding to if and when the Assad regime falls"
really phoenix!? where were you the last 4 years? under a rock? there's nothing to comment on those speculations and predictions, they have this handy habit of proving themselves false with time.
26 June 2015, 17:31
30
As for damascus, the situation is today far better than a couple years ago, when there were tens of thousands of takfiris in yarmouk and eastern ghouta, at the doorstep of the syrian capital.
The problem has been taken care of since, and it was not thanks to intellectual masturbation (excuse my french) and "meaningful contributions" (read:endless bickering) in online forums, if you see what I mean.
27 June 2015, 13:37
00
Mowaten, you know well where I was these past 4 years, but you ya Mowaten, you are just like your leader Sayed Hassan, not only under a rock but under mountains of rock. I am not the one predicting but analysts and the media, but unlike you, I don't speak in propaganda titles. Actually you do remind me of that historical fact about Hitler whose radio station were still blaring about victory when the allies were just a few hundred meters away from his bunker. Instead of your blabbering, try at least to figure out where Al Assad's people could go to, masalan expand the Qalamoun if you can, or camps in Iran or Iraq, they helped you then, they should help you now. You still have contributed zero to this situation but sheer nonsense as usual.
26 June 2015, 13:04
73
Doesn't matter if they're pro- or anti-Assad, it's a burden to Lebanon. The main thing is for those living in Lebanon eventually go back to their country. Some unfortunately won't be able to, and for those there has to be some solution, because we can't afford another people living as refugees on our land.
26 June 2015, 14:06
83
They can go to IRAN or IRAQ, they supported this mess, they lavished life whilse Assads men RAPED thousands of women in thier jails, whilst they bombed bakery lines, they can go to Iran
26 June 2015, 14:12
72
@nasrallahthehouthi, that's exactly what I am suggesting, here in Lebanon the refugees could spark disaster on themselves, Iran and Iraq as you suggested would be a temporary solution for them. We here have had more than enough to shoulder.
26 June 2015, 14:54
15
phoenix1 bro the Lebanon we once knew will be no more it is obvious this war is being fuelled by bigger players who's sole agenda is to keep the arabs busy while their zionist programme continues this has never been about sects its always been about israels interest first and for most
26 June 2015, 16:29
11
JSL, thanks man, you're right the game is so clear and we Arabs, so gullible, sad.
26 June 2015, 18:54
21
"those are the same people who killed the christian lebanese, blew up our churches, beheaded our priests and assassinated our leaders and thinkers"
the same people, are you sure? like samir geagea before and after the hair loss? because nobody killed more christian lebanese than him, blew more churches, or killed more priests, leaders and thinkers than him.
