Now in its fourth year, the Syrian conflict hit yet another bleak milestone Thursday, as the United Nations refugee agency reported that the number of refugees in Lebanon has passed the one million mark, putting more pressure on a host community that is already stretched to the breaking point.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) now estimates that Lebanon has become the country with the highest per capita concentration of refugees worldwide, struggling to keep pace with a crisis that shows no signs of easing.
In fact Syrian refugees in the country now equal almost a quarter of the resident population.
“The influx of a million refugees would be massive in any country. For Lebanon, a small nation beset by internal difficulties, the impact is staggering,” said UNHCR chief Antonio Guterres.
