Lebanon plans to begin repatriating tens of thousands of Syrian refugees within months over objections by the United Nations and human rights groups, a minister has said.
Lebanon has one of the world’s highest numbers of refugees per capita and currently hosts approximately 1.5 million Syrians who fled the decade-old conflict.
Officials have said the influx has cost Lebanon billions of dollars and further damaged its crippled infrastructure while it struggles with a financial meltdown.
“We are serious about implementing this plan and we hope to do so within months,” Issam Charafeddine, Lebanon’s caretaker Minister of the Displaced, said on Wednesday.
The Lebanese government’s plan would entail sending back 15,000 Syrian refugees every month, he said.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees and human rights groups have opposed involuntary repatriation to Syria and said the practice risks endangering the returning refugees.
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