Five boats carrying 271 mostly Syrian migrants departing from the shores of Lebanon were reportedly intercepted being smuggled into Cyprus. Cypriot media reported the arrest of four individuals suspected of being responsible for the smuggling.
According to the ‘North Press’ agency, the four arrested individuals were suspected of driving one of the boats. The migrants landed in Cape Greco, southeast Cyprus, where all required procedures were carried out.
Lebanon, grappling with a severe economic crisis since 2019 and increased security concerns, has seen an increase in the influx of unregistered Syrian migrants in particular. This is accompanied by attempts at illegal migration departing particularly from the north of Lebanon to neighboring countries as weather conditions improve.
According to UNHCR, since 2020, Lebanon has experienced a rise in maritime departures, with most attempts being intercepted or ending with returns.
It’s noteworthy that Cyprus has consistently recorded the highest per capita asylum applications in the European Union, as per EU statistics in recent years.
