Beirut: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that over 21,000 individuals have fled the ongoing hostilities in Syria this month, seeking refuge in neighboring Lebanon.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the UNHCR detailed in a statement that the early March hostilities continue to drive displacement on a daily basis towards northern Lebanon. The agency noted the arrival of 21,637 new refugees from Syria, as documented by Lebanese authorities and the Lebanese Red Cross.

The UNHCR highlighted that families escaping the conflict are crossing informal border points, including river crossings on foot, often arriving in Lebanon exhausted, traumatized, and hungry. The agency also reported ongoing security concerns that hinder people’s movement before they reach the border.

Additionally, approximately 390 Lebanese families were reported to be among the new arrivals. The surge in refugees comes in the wake of severe sectarian violence on Syria’s Mediterranean coast that began on March 6. This period saw mass killings targeting the Alawite minority.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that around 1,600 civilians, predominantly Alawites, lost their lives. The organization accused security forces and allied groups of conducting field executions, forced displacement, and arson of homes.

Meanwhile, the Syrian authorities have accused armed supporters of the Assad regime of instigating the violence by attacking the newly established security forces.