A Syrian refugee surrendered to hunger and poverty and set himself ablaze in the Lebanese town of Taalbaya on Sunday. The man could be seen in a video walking down the road holding his hands in the air as the fire ravaged his body. The footage was shared multiple times on news and social media platforms.
According to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA), the refugee, 50, was provoked by the deteriorating living circumstances and was in a critical condition when he was transferred to the Bekaa Hospital, noting that he suffers from third-degree burns.
On social media, people recalled Tunisian Mohamed Bouazizi who set himself on fire in 2010, protesting poor living conditions and eventually setting off the Arab Spring revolutions.
Brocar Press has not shared the video due to its sensitive and harsh content.
This was not the first incident in Lebanon, another Syrian refugee set himself on fire in 2018 outside a UN office in desperation, after aid was cut off to his family despite their immense need, his wife told AFP at the time.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says more than a million Syrian refugees live in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the government estimates that 1.5 million Syrian refugees are in the country.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
