Attachments
Highlights
• Government of Turkey (Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency-AFAD) reported that the total number of Syrians accommodated in 14 camps, in seven provinces increased to 137,756 persons including those undertaking medical treatment in hospitals and their companions (665persons) on December 11, 2012. During the reporting period 1,103 new arrivals were reportedly admitted from the borders and 67 Syrians returned to Syria voluntarily.
• Local authorities reported that the winterization of the camps was on going. During the a visit to the camps, in Osmaniye, UNHCR team was informed that there is a shortage of clothing and requested if clothing for men, women, and children can be provided. Reportedly the distribution of floor platforms for tents funded by AFAD will be produced locally and distributed soon.
• During the visit to Karkamış camp, UNHCR team members observed that there was an increasing interest from the Syrian women (200 already registered) to the vocational courses (tailoring, sewing, fabric garnishing and wool knitting courses). The local authorities already started to place 10 knitting machines in the camp for the Syrian refugees. Also in Karkamış, the construction of new latrines and bathrooms is on going. Drainage excavation work is also continuing.
•UNHCR is working in close cooperation with Government officials (Turkish Red Crescent and AFAD) to provide support to the winterization of the camps which additional winter tents will be provided. It was also agreed with the Government of Turkey that UNHCR will provide kitchen sets and cooking sets for the expansion of WFP food card system to other camps.
•According to the official camps' population figures, almost all the camps are already full to their capacity. Reportedly some thousands of them are staying with their relatives in the neighboring villages on permission from the camp officials after being registered with the camps (i.e.:Ceylanpınar-9,800 and Akçakale-4,120 persons).
•While the construction of the two containersites (Nizip-2in GaziantepandHarran-KökenliinŞanlıurfa) in still on-going and expected to be operational by early Jan 2013, local authorities (MFA and AFAD) also informed UNHCR that there are four more camps (three container sites and one tent camp) also under construction.