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Many Syrian-Armenians have taken refuge in Lebanon, says Toufic Baaklini, President of the American organization In Defense of Christians.

A few days ago, the advocacy group In Defense of Christians released the report “Displaced Syrians in Lebanon" with the Maronite Foundation at the National Press Club in Washington. The report had earlier been presented to the White House and the US State Department, the Voice of America’s Armenian service reported.

The authors of the report do not know the exact number of displaced Syrian Armenians in Lebanon, but Baaklini stressed that according to the information at hand, they want to return to Syria.

“Syrian-Armenian refugees want to get back [to Syria]. I have heard a lot about this desire expressed especially by the Armenians in Aleppo. We are trying to support the Aleppo people to return to Syria,” he said.

Unlike other Syrians, Syrian-Armenian refugees do not receive any direct assistance from the Lebanese government or the United Nations. They are supported by the local Armenian community and church.

“Unlike other Syrians, they are not listed by the UN, so they are deprived of direct assistance," says the head of In Defense of Christians.

Baaklini hopes that it will soon be possible to provide direct assistance to Syrian-Armenians and other displaced Christians of Syria.