Lebanon lacks funds to help Syrian refugees survive winter

The United Nations Higher Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) said Tuesday that the lack of funding would lead to depriving tens of thousands of Syrians displaced to Lebanon from the support that it provides them with to confront the hard winter season conditions.

In its weekly report, the UNHCR said "an estimated half a million Syrian refugees would be in need of basic means of survival to be able to endure severe cold winter conditions. Most importantly, it is imperative to provide them with adequate means of warmth like proper clothing and blankets to stay alive."

It added "Lebanese municipal authorities and the Ministry of Social Affairs have joined forces with the UNHCR in its effort to alleviate the refugees suffering during this period."

But it warned that "among a myriad of hurdles facing UNHCR in dispensing relief are rising inter-factional tensions and aggravating weather conditions with people getting at times isolated in certain remote and inaccessible places."

But the report cautioned that "the lack of funding would allow the UNHCR to only support 80,000 Syrian families during the winter season with its heating fuel needs during the next two months, and only about 60,000 families during the first two months of 2015."

The latest UNHCR report on Syrian displaced to Lebanon put their number at 1.2 million though the strict measures applied by the Lebanese government has forced many of them to leave the country. Endi