The United Nations warns of the impact of the harsh winter on six million people in Syria

The United Nations has warned that Syria will witness one of the harshest winters this year, due to the lack of fuel and energy and the deteriorating social and economic situation.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said nearly six million people will need humanitarian assistance to cope with harsh winter conditions – an increase of 33 percent compared to last year.

The UN spokesperson noted: “This year’s winter response strategy focuses on assisting those most at risk, including those living in remote, high-altitude and most vulnerable areas such as children, the elderly, pregnant women, people with disabilities and people with chronic medical conditions.”

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), temperatures routinely drop below freezing in the mountainous heights, while the plains remain vulnerable to flooding, especially the populated areas in the highlands – such as Bloudan, Qalamoun and Zabadani in Damascus countryside and Al-Haffah, near Latakia.

“Among those prioritized for assistance are displaced people living in tents or temporary shelters, including 800,000 people residing in tents in northwest Syria,” Dujarric said.