More than 20,000 Syrians flee to Turkey this year, biggest influx in months

GENEVA, February 11 (UNHCR) - The UN refugee agency reported on Tuesday that more than 20,000 Syrian refugees have arrived in Turkey since the start of the year in the biggest influx since early 2013. Over recent days more than 500 people have been arriving daily across official crossing points, sometimes as many as 1,000-2,000 daily.

"This new influx appears to be spurred in part by the upsurge in fighting reported across the border in northern Syria, particularly in and around Aleppo, and the conflict among opposition groups, as well," UNHCR's chief spokesperson, Melissa Fleming, told journalists in Geneva.

About one-third of the recent influx, some 7,000 people, is accommodated in camps. Turkey opened its 22nd camp in early January and the authorities are considering opening further new camps to help cope with the new influx.

The influx of more than 20,000 since the beginning of the year adds to the existing pressure on Turkey's emergency refugee response. UNHCR is discussing with the authorities additional emergency support to help Turkey to cope with this recent influx.

Fleming said that additional Syrian refugees were awaiting registration in urban areas in Turkey; many of them are believed to be in vulnerable condition and in need of urgent assistance.

UNHCR is supporting the government of Turkey, including through support for registration, technical assistance, distribution of core relief items to people in camps as well as the most vulnerable outside of camps, and cash assistance to the most vulnerable. UNHCR maintains emergency stocks inside and outside Turkey that can be used to supplement government aid as needed.

"UNHCR continues to appeal to all states in the Syria region to keep their frontiers open to refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria," Fleming said.