October 2, 2024

Dr. Badr Jamous, president of the Syrian Negotiation Commission, held a virtual meeting yesterday (Tuesday) with a group of Syrian and Lebanese activists to discuss ways to assist Syrian refugees in Lebanon amidst the ongoing events in the Lebanese arena, which exacerbate life difficulties and expose them to real dangers.

During the meeting, which was also attended by the head of the legal office in the commission, lawyer Tarek Al-Kurdi, the president of the commission emphasized that the combat operations between Israeli occupation forces and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia negatively and increasingly affect Syrian refugees in a worrying manner, significantly worsening their suffering. He warned against any attacks targeting Syrian refugees, stressing their need for urgent and necessary humanitarian aid, which is not being provided to them in Lebanon, forcing some to return to Syria.

The discussion also touched on the practices of the Syrian authorities against returning Syrian refugees, including the arrest of some, and summoning others to security branches, which carries risks of extortion or detention. Additionally, the authorities are distributing returning refugees to shelters far from their homes from which they were displaced, some in dangerous areas such as frontlines.

It was agreed on the necessity to continue pressuring the United Nations and the international community to provide the necessary protection for the refugees, as well as to maintain communication with brothers in active Arab countries, brothers in Turkey, and friends in the European Union to secure urgent humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees. Continuous consultation and coordination on this issue among all parties will continue until positive results are ensured.

Two days ago, the president of the Syrian Negotiation Commission sent an urgent message to the UN special envoy to Syria, Mr. Geir Pedersen, requesting intervention with relevant international bodies to alleviate the suffering of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, which has worsened after the assassination of the leader of the Lebanese Hezbollah militia.