May 22nd, 2013

Having already been working alongside Syrian doctors for more than a year thanks to 15 satellite lines and 9 broadband connections in different hospitals of Syria, Télécoms Sans Frontières is increasing its support to the Syrian people by intervening directly among refugees on the borders of Turkey.

TSF provides broadband communications for the humanitarian aid coordination

The crisis in Syria seems unending at the moment. Meeting the humanitarian needs in the country is one of the largest challenges owing to the insecurity in particular. And as the battles go on, the needs just get bigger and bigger.

05/22/2013 14:35 GMT

HOMS, Syria, May 22, 2013 (AFP) - The conflict in Syria has displaced more than two-thirds of Palestinian refugees living in the country, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees said on Wednesday.

"We have registered approximately 530,000 Palestinian refugees. We believe that almost all of them, certainly maybe 70-80 percent, are displaced from their normal homes," UNRWA Commissioner General Filippo Grandi told AFP on a visit to Syria.

05/22/2013 13:39 GMT

ANKARA, May 22, 2013 (AFP) - Turkish police have arrested six people for planning attacks against Syrian refugees who have sought shelter in border camps, a local governor said on Wednesday.

The suspects -- all of them Turkish nationals -- allegedly plotted "kidnappings and bombing attacks at refugee shelters" in southeastern Hatay province, its governor Celalettin Lekesiz said in televised remarks.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Population movement – refugee numbers in the region continue to increase. Since May 1, there were more than 76,000 new refugees; at least 75% of those registered are women and children.

• Operational – Jordanian Ministry of Health and Interior Ministries agreed to relocation of new arrivals registration to Raba Sahan; health screening including immunization will occur here thus enhancing vaccination activities for new arrivals. In Lebanon, coordination skills training sessions was organized by UNHCR and OCHA on May 9.

Situation Overview

Refugees in Lebanon are scattered across the country with the largest concentrations of registered refugees living in North Lebanon (50%) and the Bekaa Valley (38%). There are no camps in Lebanon, but most refugees are hosted or living in rented spaces, and 13% live in collective shelters and tented settlements.

By Erkan Aksu, Turkish Red Crescent, and Giovanni Zambello, IFRC

“We arrived in Turkey about seven months ago” says C. M., 32 years old, who used to work as a farmer in a village near the Syrian city of Latakia. He and his family escaped into Turkey when the bombing started in their village.

“We left our relatives behind, and one of my brothers, who remained in the village, is now looking after our properties and lands. But from here we cannot get any news from them, and we are worried about their lives.”

Summary:

Map of Tartous Governorate showing sub-district boundaries over basemap (includes District and Sub-District names in English with P-Codes)