The United Nations refugee chief on Tuesday appealed for greater international support for the millions who fled the civil war in Syria and for the countries sheltering them.
U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres made the appeal as he kicked off a visit to the region in Lebanon, where the pressure on local communities has become "overwhelming."
"Lebanon is a small country with a big heart. There is not a village, city or town in Lebanon that is not hosting Syrian refugees," Guterres told reporters in Beirut.
Amid worsening violence, the number of Syrians fleeing to Lebanon is projected to reach well over one million by the end of 2013, the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR said in a news release.
It is now believed that at least 93,000 people have been killed and millions displaced since an armed rebellion against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad began in Syria in March 2011. According to the U.N., some 1.5 million people have fled Syria for Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt since the fighting began.
UNHCR estimates that the conflict has left at least 6.8 million in need of humanitarian assistance, and has warned that the number could reach almost 3.5 million by the end of the current year. Guterres noted that the crisis in Syria poses a threat to regional peace and security.
"This threat is now becoming a harsh reality with an increasing risk of spillover of the conflict into neighboring countries. The international community must overcome its divisions and come together to stop the fighting if we want to prevent the flames of war from spreading across the Middle East," he said.
He also stressed that Lebanon and other neighboring countries need massive support so that they can continue to receive and help so many refugees and preserve stability.
While in Lebanon, Guterres and Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati appealed to donors to provide the necessary funding to allow the country to continue assisting Syrian refugees.
Earlier this month, UNHCR updated the size of funds needed for the Syria Regional Response Plan to almost $3 billion for international agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). An additional $830 million is needed for the governments of Jordan and Lebanon.
Guterres' visit to Lebanon will be followed by a stopover in Jordan. His trip comes ahead of World Refugee Day, commemorated annually on June 20.
This year, UNHCR is marking the Day with the '1 family' campaign, designed to expose the devastating impact of war on families and mobilize public support and solidarity for those affected, including refugees from the Syria crisis.
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