Lebanon to Syrian refugees: Sorry, we're full

The Lebanese government has decided to heavily reduce the number of Syrian refugees it will allow into the country.

Social affairs minister Rashid Derbas told the country's al-Akhbar newspaper that "Lebanon is no longer officially receiving any Syrian refugees," unless they have a "humanitarian reason for their entry".

Exactly what constitutes a humanitarian reason "will be decided by the interior and social affairs ministries", Mr Derbas added without elaborating.

Ninette Kelley, representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Lebanon, said: "Many fewer people are being allowed in than would normally be coming in to get refugee status.”

Ms Kelly has called for increased investment in Lebanese infrastructure to help look after the refugees.

Lebanon has the highest per capita concentration of refugees in the world. One in four residents is officially designated as a refugee according to some estimates.

Lebanon says it cannot cope with more than a million Syrians and has asked for aid to help look after them.

Almost 3.2million people are thought to have fled Syria's civil war.

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