THE MIDEAST FACES “STAGGERING” CRISIS CAUSED BY SYRIAN CONFLICT

       London, 3 Rabiul Awwal 1434/14 January 2013 (KUNA/MINA) – The Middle East Faces a “staggering” Humanitarian crisis caused by by the conflict in Syria, an aid agency say Monday.

      With more then 600.000 syirian having fled the country the international Rescue Committee (IRC) is calling on the outside world to step up it response.

      The US-based group describes in its report the level of rape and sexual violence occurring in the conflict as horrific, the BBC report.

      The UN estimate that more than 60.000 people have been killed in the uprising, which began in march 2011.  In addition to those who have left the country, at least 2 million people are thought be internally displaced within Syria.

      The IRC says  many refugees are  citing rape as the main reason they left Syria and describes it is the major feature of the war.  It is often committed in front of family members, the agency says. 

      One aid worker told us people were swimming in their tents as snow melted the group criticises what is says is an “alarming” lack of medical and psychological support for survivors. 

      It speak of whole  neighbourhoods reduced to rubble and of displaced people moving from one village to another to escape a moving frontline.

     In recents day the ragion has been hit by the worst winter  storm in twenty years, making conditions for refugees in northern Lebanon Bekaa valley, not a single child was dressed for winter.

      All were shivering and coughing in the World Food Program (WFP) said it is helping 1.

      Five million Syrian but continued fighting and an inability to use the port of Tartus to deliver food means many people are not receiving aid.  (T/R-017/R-006)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)