Harsh winter brings new difficulty for 600,000 Syrians: UNHCR

GENEVA, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- The severe winter conditions across Syria and the surrounding region in the past week have brought new difficulties for over 600,000 Syrian refugees fleeing the conflict, said the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Friday.

To date, UNHCR has registered or assisted 612,000 Syrians around the region, in which 194,000 taking refuge in Lebanon, 176,000 in Jordan and 153,000 in Turkey, others are in Iraq, Egypt and North Africa, said Adrian Edwards, spokesman for the agency.

"There has been no let-up in the numbers of people fleeing Syria into neighboring countries," he said.

Despite the preparations for the winter months, many refugees are facing particularly cold and damp conditions, Edwards added.

UNHCR and its partners are working together to provide significant winterization aid to refugees, including blankets, mattresses and emergency clothing. However, with difficulties of access in Syria, they cannot reach all people in need.

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