Beirut: The number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon has surpassed 587,000 after an increase of 19,000 in the past week, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
The UN agency pointed out in a report that there were 503,000 registered refugees while more than 84,000 others were still waiting for their registration process to complete, Xinhua reported Saturday.
Some 178,000 Syrian refugees were registered in northern Lebanon, 170,000 in the eastern Bekaa region, 92,000 in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, and 62,000 in southern Lebanon, it said while stressing that the refugees are provided with humanitarian help and medical care.
Lebanon has been calling on the UN Security Council and International donors to help it bear the burden of hosting the Syrian refugees, who are expected to cross one million in number by the year-end.
Lebanese President Michel Suleiman Friday sounded alarm on his country`s inability to cope with the rampant spate of displaced Syrians and their massive influx`s repercussions.
UNHRC`s Antonio Guterres said last month that the number of refugees in Lebanon has surpassed 25 percent of its population and that they were a huge burden on Lebanese government and people.
IANS
