New York (ANTARA) - More than 880,000 people have been displaced since the recent escalation of tensions in Syria, according to UN humanitarian officials on Monday, December 16.
UN partners estimate that approximately 6 percent of the refugees live with at least one form of disability.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated, "The movement of refugee returns remains dynamic, with partners noting that over 220,000 people returned to their homeland as of Sunday, December 15." Additionally, more than 40,000 refugees are residing in around 250 shelters in northeastern Syria.
The agency revealed that the UN and its partners continue to support humanitarian responses by supplying food, water, cash, tents, and blankets. The organization is also deploying medical teams and aid supplies.
The Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the International Committee of the Red Cross, in collaboration with UNICEF, conducted a joint mission to the Tishreen Dam facility in Aleppo Governorate on Friday, December 13, to carry out urgent and critical repairs.
UNICEF has also secured fuel supplies to power backup generators, enabling safe drainage of the dam and maintaining water supplies.
Conflict near the dam last week led to prolonged power outages and disrupted water supply and several other essential services, affecting millions of people in the area.
Authorities also reported a complex flow of refugees at the Lebanon-Syria border.
According to OCHA, since December 8, Lebanese authorities have recorded fewer than 10,000 Syrian refugees returning to their homeland from Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the UN Refugee Agency reported that Lebanese authorities estimate around 30,000 refugees have returned from Syria to Lebanon as of Friday, December 13. Most are Syrian nationals, but there are also some Lebanese citizens.
This has occurred since the announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon on November 27.
The International Organization for Migration reported that the evolving situation continues with fluctuating movements occurring daily through both official and unofficial border crossings. Humanitarian activists previously reported that Syrian border officials abandoned their posts following the takeover by Damascus.