Camp Sanjak

Camp Sanjak was established in 1939, after the annexation of Alexandrette district (Sanjak) to Turkey with an agreement between the French and the Turks. This camp was the last existing Armenian refugee camp. Armenians who were deported by the French army from Alexandrette arrived to Beirut, Lebanon. Armenians from Dortyol (Chork Marzban) established this camp in the same year. In the beginning they lived under tents and then slowly they built wooden residences in this area which is found in the northern suburb of Beirut. During the civil war the majority of the houses were burnt. They rebuilt their houses with stones and cement to avoid another disaster. 450 families used to live in this camp till 2006 when the municipality decided to start a construction project and demolished half of the camp. In 2014, there were only 50 families living in this camp with unknown destiny. As you notice, there are "X" and "?" Signs on the walls of the houses, "X" means that the house must be demolished and "?" Means that the house has unknown destiny. But unfortunately, after few years all the houses were destined to be demolished.