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| U.N. Says It Is Running Out of Money to Assist Wave of Refugees From Syria | U.N. Says It Is Running Out of Money to Assist Wave of Refugees From Syria |
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| GENEVA — The United Nations will soon have to start cutting off lifesaving aid to people fleeing the war in Syria because the exodus has far outstripped financial support from international donors, one agency at the center of the humanitarian relief effort warned on Friday. | GENEVA — The United Nations will soon have to start cutting off lifesaving aid to people fleeing the war in Syria because the exodus has far outstripped financial support from international donors, one agency at the center of the humanitarian relief effort warned on Friday. |
| “The needs are rising exponentially, and we are broke,” Marixie Mercado, a spokeswoman for Unicef, told reporters in Geneva. “Across the region, a lot of our operations are going to have to start scaling down unless we get money.” | “The needs are rising exponentially, and we are broke,” Marixie Mercado, a spokeswoman for Unicef, told reporters in Geneva. “Across the region, a lot of our operations are going to have to start scaling down unless we get money.” |
| The warning came as President Bashar al-Assad, in a rare interview with a foreign media outlet, said that if Syria broke up or came under the control of “terrorist forces,” this would immediately spill over into neighboring countries first, and that a domino effect would reach countries across the Middle East. | The warning came as President Bashar al-Assad, in a rare interview with a foreign media outlet, said that if Syria broke up or came under the control of “terrorist forces,” this would immediately spill over into neighboring countries first, and that a domino effect would reach countries across the Middle East. |
| Mr. Assad, who typically refers to his armed opponents as terrorists, appeared to be trying to capitalize on growing concerns among countries that support the uprising, including the United States, about extremist groups among the rebel ranks and the potential that the conflict could destabilize the region. | Mr. Assad, who typically refers to his armed opponents as terrorists, appeared to be trying to capitalize on growing concerns among countries that support the uprising, including the United States, about extremist groups among the rebel ranks and the potential that the conflict could destabilize the region. |
| But as the violence from the two-year-old civil war escalates and the flow of refugees threatens to overwhelm Syria’s neighbors, the government and rebel fighters seem as polarized as ever. | But as the violence from the two-year-old civil war escalates and the flow of refugees threatens to overwhelm Syria’s neighbors, the government and rebel fighters seem as polarized as ever. |
| In Damascus, the thud of heavy artillery and the screech of warplanes could be heard on Friday from the direction of the northeastern suburb of Barzeh, which residents said had been encircled by the army for a month. Seven people died and more than 40 were injured, according to antigovernment activists who posted video showing what appeared to be the corpses of women and children being pulled from the rubble. | In Damascus, the thud of heavy artillery and the screech of warplanes could be heard on Friday from the direction of the northeastern suburb of Barzeh, which residents said had been encircled by the army for a month. Seven people died and more than 40 were injured, according to antigovernment activists who posted video showing what appeared to be the corpses of women and children being pulled from the rubble. |
| The activists also said that the government had used surface-to-air missiles for the first time so close to the capital, hitting Barzeh with a barrage of Russian-made Tochka short-range ballistic missiles, a claim that could not be independently verified. Syria’s state news agency, SANA, said the army had “killed and injured all members of an armed terrorist group” in Barzeh. SANA also said that five mortar shells fired by opposition fighters had struck the Damascus suburb of Jaramana, killing one person and injuring 11. | The activists also said that the government had used surface-to-air missiles for the first time so close to the capital, hitting Barzeh with a barrage of Russian-made Tochka short-range ballistic missiles, a claim that could not be independently verified. Syria’s state news agency, SANA, said the army had “killed and injured all members of an armed terrorist group” in Barzeh. SANA also said that five mortar shells fired by opposition fighters had struck the Damascus suburb of Jaramana, killing one person and injuring 11. |
| Human rights groups have criticized both sides in the conflict for disregarding the safety of civilians, particularly by using indiscriminate weaponry like mortars in urban areas. | Human rights groups have criticized both sides in the conflict for disregarding the safety of civilians, particularly by using indiscriminate weaponry like mortars in urban areas. |
| Volunteers for the Syrian Arab Red Crescent were shot at recently while trying to retrieve bodies from Barzeh, according to an antigovernment activist there who goes by the single name of Iman. Residents who managed to escape have fled to other Damascus neighborhoods and suburbs. Some are living in a public park in the Kafar Souseh neighborhood, where, one of the park dwellers said, they wash dishes, pray, eat, and do laundry. | Volunteers for the Syrian Arab Red Crescent were shot at recently while trying to retrieve bodies from Barzeh, according to an antigovernment activist there who goes by the single name of Iman. Residents who managed to escape have fled to other Damascus neighborhoods and suburbs. Some are living in a public park in the Kafar Souseh neighborhood, where, one of the park dwellers said, they wash dishes, pray, eat, and do laundry. |
| In the interview with Ulusal Kanal Television of Turkey, which was broadcast on Friday and translated from Arabic into Turkish, Mr. Assad said he was not living in a high-security shelter but “with the Syrian people.” He denied reports in recent months that he was hiding in a bunker or even on a Russian vessel. | In the interview with Ulusal Kanal Television of Turkey, which was broadcast on Friday and translated from Arabic into Turkish, Mr. Assad said he was not living in a high-security shelter but “with the Syrian people.” He denied reports in recent months that he was hiding in a bunker or even on a Russian vessel. |
| The interview was Mr. Assad’s first statement to the international media since a public speech in January. His wife, Asma, was shown on Syrian television last week visiting the mothers of fallen soldiers, in honor of Syria’s Mother’s Day holiday. | The interview was Mr. Assad’s first statement to the international media since a public speech in January. His wife, Asma, was shown on Syrian television last week visiting the mothers of fallen soldiers, in honor of Syria’s Mother’s Day holiday. |
| Mr. Assad said that the war in Syria was not between Syrian political factions or sects but rather an international battle between “states that do not want to be subject to the West and powers that collaborate with the West along with their personal interests.” | Mr. Assad said that the war in Syria was not between Syrian political factions or sects but rather an international battle between “states that do not want to be subject to the West and powers that collaborate with the West along with their personal interests.” |
| Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which are United States allies, back the uprising against Mr. Assad, while Iran, Russia and China support the Syrian government. Mr. Assad singled out Turkey for particular criticism, saying that its recent normalization of relations with Israel was evidence that its leaders had “come together with Israel for the destruction of Syria.” | Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which are United States allies, back the uprising against Mr. Assad, while Iran, Russia and China support the Syrian government. Mr. Assad singled out Turkey for particular criticism, saying that its recent normalization of relations with Israel was evidence that its leaders had “come together with Israel for the destruction of Syria.” |
| Turkey restored diplomatic ties with Israel after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized for the 2010 episode in which nine people of Turkish descent were killed when Israeli troops boarded a flotilla intent on breaking Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza. Mr. Assad said that foreign powers aimed to portray the conflict as a sectarian battle between Syria’s Sunni Muslim majority and the Alawite sect to which he belongs, in order to divide and weaken Middle Eastern countries. | Turkey restored diplomatic ties with Israel after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized for the 2010 episode in which nine people of Turkish descent were killed when Israeli troops boarded a flotilla intent on breaking Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza. Mr. Assad said that foreign powers aimed to portray the conflict as a sectarian battle between Syria’s Sunni Muslim majority and the Alawite sect to which he belongs, in order to divide and weaken Middle Eastern countries. |
| Mr. Assad and his opponents blame each other for introducing talk of sectarianism into the conflict, which began as peaceful protests by Syrians demanding political rights but became far more serious after the government fired on unarmed demonstrators. | |
| More than 70,000 people have been killed, according to the United Nations, and the humanitarian impact has dwarfed all predictions, straining not just United Nations agencies but most international aid groups. | More than 70,000 people have been killed, according to the United Nations, and the humanitarian impact has dwarfed all predictions, straining not just United Nations agencies but most international aid groups. |
| More than 1.25 million Syrians have registered as refugees in neighboring countries or are in the process of doing so, according to the United Nations, three-quarters of a million more than at the end of 2012 and already more than had been expected by June. | More than 1.25 million Syrians have registered as refugees in neighboring countries or are in the process of doing so, according to the United Nations, three-quarters of a million more than at the end of 2012 and already more than had been expected by June. |
| Another three million to four million people are in need of help inside Syria, relief agencies estimate. | Another three million to four million people are in need of help inside Syria, relief agencies estimate. |
| The United Nations refugee agency says it has received about one-third of the $494 million it sought for Syrian refugees in the first half of the year. Unicef has received just a quarter of the $156 million it requested for the same period, which means that, by June, when temperatures are soaring, the agency will stop deliveries of 3.5 million liters of water to 100,000 refugees in Jordan, officials said. | The United Nations refugee agency says it has received about one-third of the $494 million it sought for Syrian refugees in the first half of the year. Unicef has received just a quarter of the $156 million it requested for the same period, which means that, by June, when temperatures are soaring, the agency will stop deliveries of 3.5 million liters of water to 100,000 refugees in Jordan, officials said. |
Nick Cumming-Bruce reported from Geneva, and Sebnem Arsu from Istanbul. Anne Barnard contributed reporting from Damascus, Syria; Hala Droubi from Dubai, United Arab Emirates; and Hania Mourtada from Beirut, Lebanon. | Nick Cumming-Bruce reported from Geneva, and Sebnem Arsu from Istanbul. Anne Barnard contributed reporting from Damascus, Syria; Hala Droubi from Dubai, United Arab Emirates; and Hania Mourtada from Beirut, Lebanon. |
| This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | |
| Correction: April 25, 2013 | |
An earlier version of this article referred imprecisely to groups that the government of President Bashar al-Assad says it is fighting in the two-year-old civil war that has ravaged Syria. A prominent adviser to Mr. Assad accused a well-known Sunni Muslim cleric in Qatar for inciting Sunnis in Latakia, Syria, to revolt in March 2011. In addition to foreigners and Al Qaeda, Mr. Assad and other government officials say Syria is battling members of extremist sectarian ideologies including Wahabism and takfirism. They have not publicly cited Sunni extremists as the enemy. |