Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdel Karim Ali said that Lebanon should provide humanitarian support for Syrian refugees without “embracing extremist groups."
“There shouldn’t be confusion between [supporting] those who take refuge in Lebanon [and] embracing extremist groups,” Ali was quoted as saying by the National News Agency on Wednesday following a meeting with former President Emile Lahoud.
“Embracing extremist groups and extremist thought reflects badly on the region as a whole, as well as on Lebanon.”
He also warned that any implication in “shedding Syrian blood” will have negative repercussions on Lebanon.
Lebanon is facing difficulties dealing with the increasingly high number of refugees fleeing Syria’s violence, amid a split in its political landscape between supporters of the Syrian regime, represented by the March 8 alliance, and Western-backed forces associated with the March 14 coalition.
The European Union and the United Nations have meanwhile pledged their support for Lebanon, providing donations to support those fleeing Syria.
Meanwhile, differences emerged over the best way to control the situation with some politicians calling for closing the border with Syria while others dismissed the proposal and urged more humanitarian help for the displaced.
