Leader of Hezbollah Calls for Syrians to Head to Cyprus

Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, has urged Lebanese authorities to "open the sea" for refugees seeking to travel to Cyprus.

During a live broadcast, Nasrallah called for a national decision to "open the sea for all those wishing to travel to Europe, particularly to Cyprus, the closest European Union country to the Middle East."

Nasrallah emphasized that he "does not propose forcibly evacuating Syrians on boats."

According to "Cyprus-mail," Lebanon, grappling with an unprecedented economic crisis since 2019, hosts nearly two million Syrian refugees, the highest per capita figure globally. The international community has repeatedly been urged to facilitate their repatriation.

Some factions in Lebanon blame Syrian refugees for exacerbating local conditions. Pressure is mounting ahead of the annual EU summit on Syria in Brussels on May 27.

Since mid-April, Cyprus has been in a "state of crisis" due to a rising number of migrants arriving on the island. Cyprus's President, Nicos Anastasiades, has appealed to Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, to intervene.

Von der Leyen arrived in Beirut with the Cypriot leader, announcing the allocation of one billion euros in aid to Lebanon, primarily aimed at curbing illegal immigration.

In his address, Nasrallah noted that since the Lebanese army currently prevents Syrian refugees from leaving the country, they resort to smugglers with inflatable boats, risking their lives at sea.

It was previously reported that Cypriot authorities have suspended the process of considering applications from Syrian migrants for refugee status.