Registered Syrian refugees top 250,000

UNITED NATIONS - More than 250,000 Syrians have registered or are awaiting registration in Syria's neighboring countries as refugees, UN spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters here Tuesday.

"According to the latest figures, more than a quarter of a million Syrian refugees have been registered in the surrounding region or are awaiting registration," Haq told a daily news briefing here, citing information from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

According to UNHCR, a total of 253,106 people have registered or are awaiting registration as of this week as Syrian refugees in Syria's four neighboring countries, namely Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon and Iraq.

"Refugees have told Agency staff that artillery and air attacks are continuing in villages and towns close to the Jordanian border," Haq said, adding "While the number of refugees crossing the border fluctuates daily depending on the security situation inside Syria, the average remains around 2,000 new arrivals a day."

On Tuesday, Antonio Guterres, the UN high commissioner for refugees, and UNHCR special envoy Angelina Jolie went to visit the Za'atri camp in North Jordan to show "recognition of the commitment of the Jordanian people and government to protecting refugees," Haq said.

During the visit, Guterres said the camp needed "massive international funding" and that conditions at the site are still not "acceptable".

The World Heath Organization (WHO) took an "exploratory mission" to Homs, Syria, sometime last week, in face of the urgency of scaling up delivery of humanitarian aid was exacerbated by the approaching winter, said Haq. ?

Syria has been plunged into a political crisis which broke out some 18 months ago. More than 18,000 people, mostly civilians, have died since fighting erupted, though reports indicate a major escalation of violence in recent weeks in many towns and villages, as well as the country's two biggest cities, Aleppo and Damascus.