Lebanon concerns over int'l community's approach to refugees: president

BEIRUT, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese President Michel Aoun said Friday that he is worried about the international community's approach towards the Syrian refugees' crisis, Lebanon's presidential website reported.

"We worried about the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland. The international community is postponing their return to an unknown timing," said Aoun.

The international community is very much aware of the dire circumstances in which Syrian refugees live in camps, he said.

"Also, Lebanon's infrastructure including electricity, water, hospitals and schools have been tremendously impacted by this crisis," the president added.

Lebanon is hosting 976,000 registered Syrian refugees, according to the UN High Commissioner for refugees (UNHCR), while the Lebanese government estimates the true number of Syrian refugees in the country at 1.5 million.

The Lebanese authorities said on Wednesday that the number of refugees who have returned to their homeland from Lebanon had reached 172,046 by March 19.