The Daily Star - Qabbani launches campaign to help Syrian refugees, May 10 2012

BEIRUT: Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani, launched Wednesday a campaign to provide relief to Syrian refugees in Lebanon, calling on people to support the displaced.

Qabbani made the announcement during his meeting with members of the board of directors of Dar al-Fatwa’s Relief and the Humanitarian Aid committee. The board’s chairman Riad Itani was also in attendance.

The campaign is part of Dar al-Fatwa’s efforts to provide aid to Syrian refugees, including housing and other basic needs.

The mufti tasked the committee with following up on the campaign as well as addressing the changing needs of displaced Syrians.

Qabbani listened to proposals aimed to provide support for the displaced and urged Lebanese to provide aid to the refugees.

Syrians began fleeing across the border to Lebanon following unrest in their country last year.

The latest update from the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said it is providing aid to around 24,000 refugees, an increase of 1,887 from the previous week.

Most of the refugees are living in north Lebanon and the Bekaa.

But a coalition of charitable organizations aiding the refugees maintains that the number of Syrian refugees in the country is actually nearing 40,000.

According to U.N. figures, more than 9,000 people have been killed since the unrest began.

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