Over 511,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon

BEIRUT - The UN Higher Council for Refugees (UNHCR) said Sunday that the number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon has surpassed 511,000, marking an increase of 11,000 in a week.

The UNHCR weekly report said there are currently 437,000 Syrian refugees registered with the agency while more than 73,000 others are waiting for their registration process to be completed.

The report added that the registered refugees are benefiting from the aid provided by the UN, the Lebanese government and various NGOs.

Lebanon called on the UN Security Council and international donors to help it bear the burden brought about by the Syrian refugees, who are expected to exceed 1 million by the end of the year.

Lebanese President Michel Suleiman on Friday sounded the alarm on Lebanon's incapacity of dealing with the rampant spate of displaced Syrians coming into the country.

UN Higher Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said last month that the number of refugees in Lebanon had surpassed 25 percent of its population and they were inflicting a huge burden on the government and people of Lebanon.