REPORT: Issue of Syrian refugees at the forefront: rates and numbers

The concerned apparatuses in the Lebanese government estimated that the total number of the Syrian and Palestinian refugees coming from Syria has reached 300 thousand, including 14 thousand Palestinians while only 170 thousand are registered by the UN organizations. However, 40% of these refugees live in the North, while 30% live in the Bekaa and the rest are distributed between Beirut, Mount Lebanon and the South.         

The Security apparatuses noted that the majority of these refugees entered through the legal crossing points at the borders with Syria, while those who have entered illegally cannot be counted, revealing that the security verification of each refugee is currently a difficult process, since the coordination between the Lebanese and Syrian security apparatuses is almost nonexistent. The apparatuses explained that the displaced face many security risks, while the government and the concerned authorities are unable to ensure the requirements for a decent living, leading them to have recourse to legal or illegal means in order to meet their own demands.            

On the other hand, the Lebanese security apparatuses are exchanging reports stating that armed groups loyal to the Syrian regime formed by dozens of people, have entered Lebanon, positioned in a northern Lebanese region with a Christian majority and are coordinating with political parties in the region. According to this information, these groups' mission is to tarnish the image of the Syrian refugees by using them in security acts attributed to Islamic extremist groups and carried out in Christian regions.             

The security apparatuses consider this information useful to the general prosecution and the security forces to act.