Skip to main content
Live Blog Update| Syria War

Lebanese PM calls for Syrian refugees to return home

Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati has called on Syrian refugees in Lebanon to "go back to their homeland".

Speaking at a Rome political festival, Mikati said that Lebanon is home to the largest number of refugees per capita.

"The strain on our resources has been substantial, worsening existing economic trouble and creating fierce competition for jobs and services,” he said, adding that the "best resolution" is for Syrians to return home.

About 1.5m Syrians sought refuge in Lebanon after the 2011 civil war, according to the UN refugee agency.