Lattakia: The Syrian Coast Guard announced on Saturday that it had seized a boat carrying more than 30 civilians attempting to illegally migrate.

According to National News Agency – Lebanon, the Syrian Coast Guard stated in a press release reported by Syria TV that it had “seized a boat in territorial waters carrying more than 30 civilians attempting to illegally leave to a neighboring country.”

At the end of last year, the Director of the International Organization for Migration, Amy Pope, confirmed that some religious minorities were leaving for fear of a “potential threat.” She also recommended halting mass returns to Syria until the situation in the country stabilizes.

The issue of Syrian refugees worldwide has become a major issue with the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Nearly a quarter of the Syrian population remains dispersed across various countries, most of them in neighboring countries, facing an uncertain fate.