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| UNHCR's representative in Jordan. PHOTO © UNHCR/A. McDonnell |
Geneva: The number of refugees from Syria have increased with the
confirmed outflow now approaching 150,000 in neighboring countries like Lebanon,,
Turkey, Jordan and Iraq, UNHCR reported.
"UNHCR data, which primarily reflects those among the
refugee community who have registered or are in the process of being
registered, shows a total population of 146,667 people as of August 9th,"
UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards told reporters.
Addressing a presser Adrain said "In several countries
we know there to be substantial refugee populations who have not yet registered.”
In Turkey, the refugee population has now exceeded 50,000
people (50,227), with more than 6,000 new arrivals recorded this week alone.
Many are from Aleppo and surrounding villages, but others are from Idlib and
Latakia. While the main flow is into Turkey, around 8,000 people returned home
voluntarily during July mainly to villages in Syria's Idlib area.
On August 6 the Turkish government opened a new camp at
Akcakale. It has also announced its intention to double overall reception
capacity from the current 50,000 people to 100,000 people with the construction
of as many as 13 additional sites. Currently refugees are hosted in nine camps,
with women and children accounting for more than two-thirds (72 percent) of the
population.
In Iraq, there are now 13,730 refugees. Most of the arrivals
this past week are in the Kurdistan region (720 people), although 596 refugees
were recorded further south in the Al-Qaem area. Most of the people are from
the Qamishli and Hassakeh areas of Syria.
In the Kurdistan area, one third of the refugees are being
housed in a camp at Domiz and others are living with the community. Once a new
camp is established in Al Qaem, the refugees, presently in a school, will be
relocated there if they have no opportunity to be hosted by the community.
Another camp is being considered near Rabia at Al-Kasis.
A growing number of Iraqis are also returning from Syria,
including 2,993 who have come back since the start of August. Since mid-July,
23,228 Iraqis have left Syria to return home.
In Lebanon, 36,841 Syrian refugees are now either registered
or assisted, but many thousands who have recently arrived in Lebanon are not
yet registered with the UN refugee agency. Information campaigns and the
dissemination of our Office's registration hotline continue in border villages
to encourage newly arrived families in need of protection or assistance to come
forward and register.
In Jordan the number of refugees has now reached 45,869
people, with 3,891 of these having arrived so far in August. Of the registered
population, most have come from the Dara'a or Homs areas of Syria. Typically
this population comprises farmers, housekeepers, and small business owners.
All new arrivals are now being transferred to the camp at
Za'atri, where the population has now reached 4,414 people. UN and NGO partners
including the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization are working to improve
living conditions in the camps, which at present are difficult.