Foreign Office expected to change Lebanon travel advice

By

The Foreign Office may be about to change travel advice for Brits in Lebanon, after the Syria conflict threatened to spill over into the neighbouring state.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait urged their citizens to leave the country immediately yesterday, amid a spate of kidnappings not far from the Syrian border.

Sources in the Foreign Office told politics.co.uk they were looking carefully at events in Lebanon and may be about to "update" their advice for the country.

Twenty people were kidnapped yesterday, including a Turk, a Saudi and several Syrians, in a tit-for-tat action by a prominent Syrian clan following a separate kidnapping days earlier.

The development comes as UN investigators accuse Syrian troops and militias of war crimes in the Houla massacre last May, which led to 108 deaths.

Lebanon, which is split by religious and sectarian divides and underwent its own bloody civil war, has been desperately trying to shield itself from the conflict in Syria.

The larger neighbour has often been accused of interfering in Lebanon's affairs, not least via Hezbollah, and most analysts believe the instability in Syria will inevitably spread across the region.

That presents a nightmare scenario for western leaders, who have hoped the violence can be contained and not destabilise the entire region.

The UN Security Council meets in New York today to discuss the renewal of the observer mission to Syria after it expires on Sunday.

Political news to your inbox

Fill in your details to receive Politics.co.uk's brand of informed, in-depth and independent coverage of Westminster to your inbox

Hot topics

Britain's great energy debate

How the power gets to Britain's homes in the next century remains a matter of deep controversy

As the next general election begins to loom over the horizon, the debate over Britain's future energy policy mix is starting to hot up - and nothing seems guaranteed.

The Heathrow third runway debate

Heathrow's third runway is just one of many options

There won't be a final decision on Britain's long-term aviation strategy until after the 2015 general election - but an aggressive national debate is already underway.

Opinion Former Events

MRSA Action UK Annual Memorial Event

Families will pay tribute and remember those lost to MRSA and healthcare associated infections at Westminster Abbey on Thursday 13th June 2013

BSIA: Information Destruction Exhibition & Conference 2013

Following the great success of the BSIA's Information Destruction Conference and Exhibition in May 2012, we are pleased to annouce that the event is returning again in June 2013. This one-day conference and exhibition is aimed at key decision makers in organisations that carry out the secure destruction of confidential material.