125,000 Syrian refugees face desperate conditions after returning home: UNHCR

China

125,000 Syrian refugees face desperate conditions after returning home: UNHCR

2025-01-10 17:16 Last Updated At：19:37

More than 125,000 Syrian refugees who have recently returned to Syria are facing severe challenges, including inadequate shelter, healthcare, and economic opportunities, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Despite hopes that political changes in Syria would pave the way for their return, many refugees are confronting critical shortages in basic services. These difficulties persist amid the country's ongoing struggles, which have left much of Syria devastated by years of conflict.

Syria remains the source of world's largest refugee crisis, with more than 14 million Syrians displaced since 2011. While there have been hopes for stability following recent political developments, the country's devastation from years of conflict continues to pose significant challenges for those returning.

Nearly 15 million Syrians now require healthcare, while 13 million face acute food insecurity, and many are struggling with shelter shortages amid harsh winter conditions. Ongoing instability in areas under Caretaker Authorities, marked by continuing clashes, has compounded these issues.

At a briefing this week to the UN Security Council, Thomas Fletcher, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, underscored the importance of facilitating aid, noting that sanctions should not obstruct humanitarian support.

"We need to ensure efficient flow of support into and through Syria. This means that any sanctions should not impede humanitarian support. The United States' announcement of a new General License covering transactions with Syrian governing institutions also provides a welcome signal. It also means support for and from Syria's neighbors," said Fletcher. The UN says it needs 73.2 million U.S. dollars over the next six months to support more than 1.1 million people. Officials say they urgently need shelter, water, and health services, warnings that it is time now to turn words into actions.

Final supermoon of 2025 illuminates night sky

The final supermoon of 2025 graced the night skies over China from Thursday evening through to early Friday, creating some spectacular illuminated scenery.

According to the Beijing Planetarium, this supermoon reached its fullest phase at 07:14 Beijing time on Friday morning.

Approximately 12 hours prior, the moon passed its perigee -- the closest point to Earth -- with the Earth-moon distance being less than 360,000 kilometers, meeting the common definition of a supermoon and ranking as the second largest full moon of the year.

The latest supermoon occurrence was preceded by a stunning and even larger one back in November, which occurred nine hours before the perigee, while there was also a smaller one in October.

Astronomers say that the "secret" to enjoying the supermoon at its peak is all about timing and location. They note the golden hour comes shortly after sunset when the moon just rises.

Against the backdrop of trees or buildings, it appears exceptionally large and full, while there may be a sense of illusion which makes the shimmering moon appear all the more impressive.

"When the moon just rises, it may appear larger against terrestrial scenery. By midnight on the same day, when it's high in the sky with no contrasting objects around, it seems smaller. This isn't an actual change in size, but an illusion," said Kou Wen, a senior engineer at the Beijing Planetarium. Astronomers say the next supermoon will not appear until this time next year, though it is anticipated to be even more noteworthy.

"The next such supermoon will occur in December of next year. That time, the interval between passing perigee and the full moon will be only about six or seven hours, making it even closer than both occurrences this year," Kou said.