BEIRUT, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Arsal Mayor Bassel Houjeiry said Wednesday that tensions between Syrian refugees and host communities in Arsal have subsided.
Arsal, 124 km northeast of Beirut, hosts some 57,000 Syrian refugees which approximately double the number of Lebanese citizens residing in the town.
"Some clashes took place between Syrian refugees and Lebanese citizens last Friday in Arsal, but tensions have calmed down for the time being," Houjeiry told Xinhua.
Last Friday, tens of Lebanese citizens attacked shops owned by Syrian refugees.
The attacks were attributed to the high competition created by Syrian shops which drove many Lebanese companies out of business, according to Houjeiry.
The Lebanese government does not provide facilities to the refugees, including food, education and medical services, which encouraged these people to open their own businesses to make a living.
He clarified that only 37,000 Syrian refugees in Arsal are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and they receive aid from the agency while the rest have to rely on their own sources of income to live.
Meanwhile, UNHCR's Spokesperson Lisa Abou Khaled assured that the UNHCR and the aid community did not stop to support both Lebanese and refugees.
Abou Khaled told Xinhua that UNHCR is in regular contact with the authorities to follow up on the situation of both refugees and Lebanese after they have received reports of a surge in tensions between both communities.
Both Abou Khaled and Houjeiry insisted that Syrian refugees should continue to live with dignity in Lebanon.
It is unfair to attack Syrian refugees who are already suffering from the heavy repercussions of their immigration from their war-torn country, said Houjeiry.
"They should live with dignity in Lebanon and their return to Syria should be voluntary," he added.
