Lebanon has around two million Syrians, specialists say, whereas a few 800,000 are enlisted with the Joined together Countries. Dozens Rescued from Sinking Boat off Lebanon’s,Syrians, Coast, Israel, Hamas, Gaza
1 min read 2023-12-17, 06:40 PM IST
Lebanon successfully rescued over 50 individuals, predominantly Syrians, from a sinking migrant boat off the northern coast near Tripoli on Sunday, as reported by the army. The military received intelligence about the vessel’s sinking, which was being used for illegal people smuggling. Naval forces managed to save 51 people, including two Palestinians and 49 Syrians, with assistance from the Lebanese Red Cross. The statement did not specify the boat’s destination.
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Migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees departing by boat from Lebanon typically seek a better life in Europe, often setting their sights on the east Mediterranean island of Cyprus, located less than 200 kilometers (125 miles) away. Lebanon currently hosts around two million Syrians, according to authorities, with approximately 800,000 registered with the United Nations, representing the highest number of refugees per capita globally. Lebanon’s economic collapse in late 2019 has turned the country into a migration launchpad.
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Authorities frequently announce interventions against sea smuggling operations, targeting both smugglers and potential migrants. Lebanese nationals have also joined Syrians and Palestinian refugees in undertaking the perilous journey to Europe. On December 1, the army disrupted a smuggling operation involving 110 people, primarily from Syria, attempting to leave the country by sea. This latest rescue comes amid ongoing conflicts between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, with skirmishes along the Lebanon-Israel border involving the Israeli army and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group, a Hamas ally.
Targeting both traffickers and prospective migrants, authorities regularly declare their involvement against sea smuggling operations. Alongside Palestinian and Syrian refugees, Lebanese citizens have also made the dangerous trek to Europe. On December 1, 110 individuals, most of them from Syria, were involved in a smuggling operation that the army broke up in an attempt to escape the nation by sea. This most recent rescue occurs in the midst of ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, with clashes between the Israeli army and Hamas’s ally, Lebanon’s Hezbollah group, occurring near the Israel-Lebanon border.
