UNHCR says over 587,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon

BEIRUT (Xinhua) - The UN Higher Council for Refugees (UNHCR) said Saturday that the number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon has surpassed 587,000 after an increase of 19,000 in the past week alone.

The UNHCR pointed out in a report that there are 503,000 registered refugees while more than 84,000 others are still waiting for their registration process to complete.

Some 178,000 Syrian refugees were registered in northern Lebanon, 170,000 in the eastern Bekaa region, 92,000 in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, and 62,000 in southern Lebanon, according to the UNHCR.

The report stressing that the refugees are provided with humanitarian help and medical care.

Lebanon has been calling on the UN Security Council and International donors to help it bear the burden of hosting the Syrian refugees, who are expected to cross the threshold of 1 million by the end of the year.

Lebanese President Michel Suleiman on Friday sounded again the alarm on his country's inability to cope with the rampant spate of displaced Syrians and their massive influx' repercussions.

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