More aid urged for refugees in Syria

DAMASCUS — The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, called on Tuesday for additional resources to aid Lebanese and Syrian families seeking refuge in Syria.

"We need more resources; we don't have enough," Grandi told Xinhua News Agency, highlighting the strain on local Syrian communities already grappling with severe challenges after years of conflict in the country.

The UN reports that the long-simmering conflict in Syria has left 16.7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, including 7.5 million children and 7.24 million internally displaced people.

"You must remember that many people in Syria were already facing hardships even before this crisis because of the long conflict and the socioeconomic situation of the country, which is very dire and difficult," said Grandi, who concluded a two-day visit to Syria on Tuesday.

During his visit to the capital Damascus, Grandi met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and other senior officials. He also visited a key route between Syria and Lebanon, witnessing families braving dangerous conditions and destroyed roads as they sought refuge in Syria.

"Several hundred thousand people have crossed the border into Syria — about 30 percent are Lebanese and 70 percent are Syrian refugees who have been living in Lebanon and are now returning under very exceptional circumstances," he said.

The UN Refugee Agency reports that more than 1.2 million people have been displaced in Lebanon, with more than 250,000 having crossed into Syria since Sept 23, when the Israeli army began conducting intensive attacks on Lebanon in the escalating conflict with Hezbollah.

"People are arriving and are often hosted by Syrian families, and everybody needs help," Grandi said. "The international community needs to do more to help Syria in these difficult circumstances."

Grandi also called for urgent support from donors to assist the UN and NGOs working in coordination with the Syrian government to provide aid.

"I appeal to all donors to support the response that the United Nations and NGOs are leading to help the people arriving in coordination with the Syrian government," he said.

The displaced people need food, healthcare, blankets, mattresses and water — the basics, he said. "They need to be helped in their journey from the border to their destination."

Xinhua