Lebanon - April 2024

The abduction and killing of politician Pascal Sleiman on 9 April, allegedly at the hands of several Syrians, has triggered a surge in attacks on Syrians living in Lebanon. Media have reported Syrians being assaulted on the street and the UN’s Refugee Agency, UNHCR, received reports from several towns of ‘local residents…issuing threats of mass evictions against Syrians, creating an environment of fear and intimidation.’ Anti-Syrian sentiment is widespread in Lebanon, with many Lebanese, including politicians, blaming the estimated two million Syrians living there for exacerbating the country’s socio-economic problems. Sleiman’s party, the Lebanese Forces, stated that it believed he had been assassinated, implying the involvement of their political rivals, Hezbollah. The allegation, which is denied by Hezbollah, raised fears of sectarian violence. At the end of April, six Syrians were charged with Sleiman’s abduction and murder and the Public Prosecutor said they had been motivated by a desire for a ransom payment.

Sources: The National, The Guardian, Reuters, France 24,  Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International