ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Thousands of Kurdish refugees are stuck in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, fleeing Israeli airstrikes battering the southern part of the country. A Christian priest on Tuesday called on Kurds around the world to support them.
Priest Nihad Hassan, a Kurd from Afrin, told Rudaw that around 300 Kurds from northeast Syria (Rojava), have sought refuge in his church in Beirut after fleeing conflict in southern Lebanon.
“They come from many areas such as Kobane, Afrin, and Qamishli,” Hassan said, adding that the families, including many children, are living in just 30 to 40 nearby houses.
Israel has intensively hit southern Lebanon this week on the grounds of targeting Hezbollah, killing at least 558 people, including children, and injuring 1,835 others, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
Hundreds of thousands of Kurds from Rojava have fled Syria since the civil war started in 2011 - many to neighboring countries. Those living in southern Lebanon are abandoning their houses without a place to go.
“Kurds cannot go to Rojava because some of their children are wanted [for conscription] and they do not have identity cards. And if they stay here, they will have security issues,” Hassan said.
He called on Kurds to support them.
“This is a great pain for Kurds… There are more people coming by foot,” he said, calling on people to provide humanitarian aid.
He said they have been within five kilometers of bombardments.
They have not received support from the Lebanese authorities, but some non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have provided limited aid.
Priest Hassan said some of the Kurdish parents in southern Lebanon have told him as soon as they could get home from work, they loaded their children into their cars and drove here.
Mustafa Shekho, a Kurdish activist in Lebanon, told Rudaw that three Kurds from Afrin city were among Monday’s death toll.
But there are no official figures.
Abdulrahman Dilo, a Kurdish refugee in Lebanon, said many Kurds are fleeing southern Lebanon, but they are not sure what is next.
“There are thousands of them. They headed to mountainous areas on the Lebanon-Syria [border] fleeing the attacks, but now they do not know where to go. Some of them have joined their friends and the rent fee is very high, starting at $200,” he said.
The Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah movement has exchanged cross-border fire with Israel since Hamas attacked southern Israel in October last year.
Dilbxwin Dara and Hussein Omar contributed to this article.
