Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Monday 10 June 2019

Tensions force evacuation of Syrian refugee camp in Lebanon

By SARAH EL DEEB war next door.
Associated Press Mostly impoverished and
DEIR AL-AHMAR, Lebanon dispossessed, many settled
(AP) — Dozens of Syrian in the country’s east, living
refugees dismantled their in squalid camps and strug-
tents, filled trucks with be- gling to work and survive in
longings and left a camp the area known for its harsh
they lived in for years in winters and sizzling sum-
eastern Lebanon on Sun- mers.
day after local authorities As Lebanon deals with an
ordered them to evacuate economic crunch, many
in the aftermath of a brawl Lebanese politicians and
with local firefighters. groups turned to Syrians,
Lebanese officials say the calling for them to go home
decision to evacuate is saying the violence there is
to prevent revenge at- winding down.
tacks and further tension In the scorching sun of the
after residents of the town early afternoon, Syrian
threatened to storm the men, women and children
camp. pulled down cloth and car-
A curfew on the Syrian refu- pets covering the wooden
gees living in Deir al-Ahmar, structures that served as
estimated at 6,000, was put A Syrian family loads their belongings on a pickup, as they evacuate an informal refugee camp their temporary homes.
in place for two days and after a fight broke out last week between camp residents and Lebanese firefighters who arrived They piled mattresses, pots
police patrolled the area. to put out a fire, in Deir Al-Ahmar, east Lebanon, Sunday, June 9, 2019. and pans into trucks head-
“This is to ensure their safe- Associated Press ed to a new location miles
ty and to stop the blood- The Associated Press. over hosting more than 1 lion, Lebanon’s infrastruc- away. Local officials say
shed,” said Jean Fakhry, a The evacuation of more million Syrian refugees since ture and economy has 600 lived in the camps but
Lebanese municipality of- than 90 tents reflects the 2011. been overwhelmed by the U.N. estimates said it was
ficial in Deir al-Ahmar told growing tension in Lebanon A country of nearly 5 mil- arrival of those fleeing the closer to 400 people.q

Modi visits Maldives, signaling India’s return as key ally

Associated Press an Prime Minister Narendra trip since being elected to support toward deepening ing more influence in the
MALE, Maldives (AP) — Indi- Modi made his first overseas a second term by travel- “the multifaceted, mutually Indian Ocean region. Ya-
ing to the Maldives, where beneficial partnership be- meen had pledged sup-
the new president pledged tween India and the Mal- port for China’s “Belt and
closer ties with New Delhi in dives.” Road” initiative and China
a departure from his prede- Solih’s stand is a marked invested in many infrastruc-
cessor’s pro-China policy. shift from his predecessor ture projects in the Mal-
Modi met with Maldiv- Yameen Abdul Gayoom, dives. Addressing Parlia-
ian President Ibrahim Mo- who developed close ties ment, Modi underscored
hamed Solih on Saturday with Beijing in an area India the importance of the In-
evening and later ad- considers as its backyard. do-Pacific region, saying “it
dressed the Maldives’ Par- Several agreements were has been our lifeline, and
liament. It was the first visit signed between the two also the highway for trade
by an Indian prime minister countries covering health, and prosperity.”
to the South Asian archipel- cargo and passenger trans- He called terrorism was
ago nation in eight years. portation by sea, customs the biggest threat facing
In this photo released by the India Government Press Information According to a joint state- services and other sectors. the world and there could
Bureau, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left and Maldives
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih sit during their meeting in ment, Solih reaffirmed his India had been concerned be no distinction between
Maldives, Saturday, June 8, 2019. government’s “India-first with Yameen’s leaning to- the so-called “good” and
Associated Press policy” and pledged full ward China, which is seek- “bad” terrorists..q