SYRIA: Syrian Red Crescent helps Lebanese refugees in Damascus.

Record ID: 279497

  • Title: SYRIA: Syrian Red Crescent helps Lebanese refugees in Damascus.
  • Date: 18th July 2006
  • Summary: CHILDREN INSIDE CENTRE, COLOURING IN COLOURING BOOKS
  • Embargoed: 2nd August 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: War / Fighting
  • Reuters ID: LVA9C2DH5TTTLBZWPNKJN9EDVVI
  • Story Text: With no sign that diplomacy would halt the week-old conflict between Lebanon and Israel any time soon, a flood of Lebanese people have been crossing into Syria either to stay or obtain a visa to move elsewhere.
    Syrian Red Crescent workers helped them by running buses to to Damascus and delivering medical care and food as well as places to stay.
    Local charities and other organisations have prepared accommodation to house the influx of people, including 2,000 Shi'ites who were taken up by residents of Sayida Zeinab, a Shi'ite district of Damascus.
    One centre, operated by the local charity "Bana" is able to accomadate 400 people and has alread received 290 people.
    "We are helping our Lebanese brothers who are coming to Syria through the borders and they will be hosted at the centre and we are primarily giving them medical care, food, clothes and medicine," said Lina Kouryeh, the chief of the charitable association "Bana".
    Syrian Red Crescent workers also handed out a special telephone number for those fleeing which can connect them to further aid services.
    Syrian airports, ports and border crossings have become Lebanon's only outlet to the world after Israel blockaded the country from the sea and bombed its transport infrastructure.
    More than 100,000 people, including at least 24,000 Lebanese have escaped Lebanon through Syria since Thursday (July 13), when Israeli strikes to avenge the abduction of two of its soldiers by Hizbollah fighters intensified.
    Syrian authorities said the have also eased usually strict border procedures to allow foreigners stranded in Lebanon swift entry into the country.
    A statement by the Syrian embassy in Washington said visa requirements for U.S. citizens and foreign other nationals fleeing Lebanon have been waived.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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