Lebanon is an important US partner and an anchor of stability in the Middle East. Few countries have faced the sort of intertwined security challenges this small Mediterranean country has grappled with over the last decade. First, there was the Syrian civil war, which flooded Lebanon with over one million refugees fleeing the carnage. Then, in 2014, ISIS invaded, gaining a foothold in the country’s northeast around the mountain district of Arsal. In response, the Lebanese military, with US backing, launched Operation Dawn of the Hills last August, successfully repelling ISIS back into Syria.

Now is the time to focus on fostering stability, rebuilding, and bringing communities together. The town of Arsal, which was once ground zero for ISIS in Lebanon, is now the focal point for these recovery efforts. However, the presence of an estimated 60,000 Syrian refugees in the area has pushed the ability to provide basic services to the brink, especially in regard to healthcare services.

The primarily Sunni Muslim town of Arsal, near the Syrian border (photo credit: AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

To help alleviate the humanitarian situation and support local governance and stability, the US advisory team in Lebanon reached out to SoA to express an urgent need for medical supplies at two clinics in Arsal. These facilities treat low-income citizens and soldiers, who otherwise would not have access to basic health services.

By contributing to this project, you can help us provide healthcare to low-income citizens, thereby strengthening relationships between US and Lebanese militaries and advancing stability along the Lebanon-Syria border region.