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Syria refugees reached record levels in August, says UN Syria refugees reached record levels in August, says UN
(about 1 hour later)
More than 100,000 Syrians fled their country in August, the UN says - the highest monthly number of refugees since the conflict began in March 2011. More than 100,000 Syrians fled their country in August, the UN says - the highest monthly figure since the conflict began in March 2011.
In one month, the UN refugee agency says the total number of people to have left almost doubled to 235,200. This almost doubled the total number of refugees to 235,300 in the space of a month, the UN refugee agency says.
"This is a significant escalation in refugee movement," chief spokesperson Melissa Fleming said. The figures emerged as the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Peter Maurer, met President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
The rising numbers emerged as Red Cross head Peter Maurer held talks on Syria's aid crisis with President Assad. The ICRC said Mr Maurer had asked for better access for aid workers in Syria.
August was arguably Syria's most violent month yet - as well bringing its biggest flight of refugees - with the pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reporting more than 5,000 deaths. August was arguably Syria's most violent month yet, with the pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reporting more than 5,000 deaths.
Last week alone, the UN children's fund estimated that 1,600 people died. The UN children's fund estimates that 1,600 people died last week alone.
Mr Maurer spent less than an hour with the Syrian leader and an International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) spokesman described the meeting as "positive". 'Tense and volatile'
Syrian state television said that President Assad supported the ICRC's humanitarian work in Syria as long as it remained "independent and impartial". The escalating fighting has led to what the ICRC's chief spokesperson Melissa Fleming described as "an astonishing number" of refugees.
ICRC spokeswoman Cecilia Goin told the BBC that the organisation was planning to "scale up its distribution" of food parcels and other aid across Syria. "It points to a significant escalation in refugee movement and people seeking asylum, and probably points to a very precarious and violent situation inside the country," she said.
"The tense and volatile situation is growing. Unfortunately we are not able to help those people in need in those places where fighting is taking place," she said. href="http://www.unhcr.org/5045c9cd9.html" >The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says the total number of refugees from Syria who have either been registered or are awaiting registration now stands at 235,300, with 103,416 people seeking asylum in August alone.
In Syria's second city Aleppo supplies are said to be dwindling, with access to parts of the city described as impossible.
Five people were said to have been killed and many others wounded in the northern province on Tuesday, a day after at least 25 deaths were reported in air strikes the day before.
A Syrian army commander has reportedly vowed to recapture the city in 10 days although a Free Syrian Army commander insisted on Tuesday that his forces were "in control of the ground battle".
'Precarious'
The escalating fighting in Aleppo and earlier in Damascus has intensified the refugee crisis in Syria. In August, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that 30,000 people had fled to Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan in the space of a week.
The UNHCR said the total number of refugees from Syria who had either been registered or were awaiting registration was now 235,300, with 103,416 people seeking asylum in August alone.
But the unregistered numbers that have entered countries bordering Syria are thought to be even higher.But the unregistered numbers that have entered countries bordering Syria are thought to be even higher.
Turkey says it has taken in more than 80,000 people and another 8,000 are waiting at the Syrian border. Media reports say another 10,000 Syrians crossed the border without being registered as refugees and are having difficulty with housing.
  • Turkey says it has taken in more than 80,000 people, with another 8,000 waiting at the Syrian border.
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  • Jordan says up to 183,000 have entered the country since the uprising began - they are currently arriving at a rate of around 1,000 a day.
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  • The UN says the number crossing into Iraq has risen to around 500 a day, compared with 500 a week in the first three weeks of August.
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  • Lebanon, too, is struggling to provide shelter for the increased numbers of refugees - many who were staying in schools are now under pressure to move out because of the start of term.
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According to the Jordanian government, up to 183,000 Syrians have entered the country since the uprising began and refugees are arriving at a rate of around 1,000 a day. The UN says the situation is precarious, with aid agencies struggling to prepare camps and distribute resources.
The UN says the situation is precarious, with aid agencies struggling to prepare camps for them. The ICRC described Mr Maurer's brief meeting with Mr Assad in Damascus as "positive".
The number of Syrians crossing into Iraq has also risen to around 500 a day, the UN says, compared with 500 a week in the first three weeks of August. Syrian state television said President Assad supported the ICRC's humanitarian work in Syria as long as it remained "independent and impartial".
Lebanon too is struggling to provide shelter for the increased numbers of refugees. Many families who were staying in schools are now under pressure to move out because of the start of term. ICRC spokeswoman Cecilia Goin told the BBC that the organisation was planning to "scale up its distribution" of food parcels and other aid across Syria, but said it was not possible to reach people in areas where fighting is taking place.
In Syria's second city, Aleppo, supplies are said to be dwindling, with access to parts of the city described as impossible.
The violence there has also continued - five people were reported killed and many others wounded in the northern province on Tuesday, a day after at least 25 deaths were reported in air strikes.
A Syrian army commander has reportedly vowed to recapture the city in 10 days although a commander of the rebel Free Syrian Army insisted on Tuesday that his forces were "in control of the ground battle".
'More unity''More unity'
A day after he told the BBC of the "nearly impossible" task facing him, new UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi is to make a statement to the UN General Assembly before his first visit to President Assad in Damascus at the weekend. The new UN-Arab League envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, is to address the UN General Assembly later on Tuesday, before beginning a visit to Damascus at the weekend, where he will meet Mr Assad.
On Monday, Mr Brahimi told the BBC the task facing him was "nearly impossible".
China and Russia have both vetoed a succession of proposed UN Security Council resolutions on Syria and there is little sign of any agreement emerging on the next course of diplomatic progress.China and Russia have both vetoed a succession of proposed UN Security Council resolutions on Syria and there is little sign of any agreement emerging on the next course of diplomatic progress.
The opposition Syrian National Council has reiterated its call for urgent international military intervention but China has warned that it opposes any such step.The opposition Syrian National Council has reiterated its call for urgent international military intervention but China has warned that it opposes any such step.
Hours before US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was due for talks in Beijing, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman stressed the need for a political solution.Hours before US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was due for talks in Beijing, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman stressed the need for a political solution.
"The situation is worsening, but the worse the situation, the more unity is needed," Hong Lei was reported as telling journalists, according to Reuters news agency."The situation is worsening, but the worse the situation, the more unity is needed," Hong Lei was reported as telling journalists, according to Reuters news agency.