A Syrian refugee set himself on fire in front of the United Nations building in Tripoli, Lebanon, after a dispute between him and the staff of the organization.
The incident took place on Friday and went viral after it was published on the “I am a Syrian in Lebanon” Facebook page, but was not mentioned by local media.
A Narrow Escape
An eye witness, who himself is a Syrian refugee and did not wish to be named, told Alsouria Net that the incident took place on Friday morning. “The young man, whose name I do not know, set himself on fire after an argument with the staff there, who refused him entry to meet an officer in charge. However, security personnel hurried to extinguish the fire quickly and save the man.
“After the fire was extinguished, the Red Cross team arrived and gave the young man medical treatment. They told us that the young man’s condition was good and that there was no danger to his life,” he said.
In social media comments on the incident, Syrians said that the regrettable incident is similar to those of the Syrian refugee in Tripoli and have recently become commonplace, indicating the poor living conditions of refugees in Lebanon.
Lebanese authorities have been tightening their grip on Syrian refugees in the country.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
