Lebanon refuses to take back Syrian refugees

Lebanon flexed it’s muscles as its officials refused to welcome back Syrian refugees on February 11, AFP reported.

The country had refused to receive a boat transporting migrants that had attempted to reach Cyprus in what was a row back on a policy that the two countries had agreed.

Cyprus and Lebanon signed an agreement in 2020 which allows the European country to return migrants back to Lebanon via irregular routes. 

The vessel was carrying around 116 people and Cyprus attempted to return the boat back to its starting point however Lebanon’s authorities refused. As a result, Cyprus allowed the migrants into their territory. 

READ: Lebanon: Interior Minister hits out at Syrian refugees

Distressed passengers contacted Alarm Phone, a project set up in 2014 with the aim of assisting refugees in the Mediterranean, as the boat was left stranded. 

The organisation wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on February 11, “We are in contact with this group who are close to the island but who report being blocked from continuing their journey by the coast guard. Blocking boats at sea risks the lives of all on board: stop these cruel games now!” 

The breakout of the civil war in Syria has caused millions to flee with many going to neighbouring countries and/or the European continent. Data found that Cyprus hosts the most refugees per capita in the 27 member-strong EU. 

Lebanon has toughened their stance on migration, emphasised by Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi claiming in October last year that the Syrian refugee crisis had become unbearable and that they posed a threat to the country’s demographics. 

Lebanon is currently home to 1.5 million Syrian refugees, the second most worldwide after Turkey (3.5 million). The former also hosts 210,000 Palestinians because of the Israeli occupation. 

The country’s Interior Ministry did not comment as to why they did not let the migrants back into the Lebanese territory.

AFP

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