"Worrying" results: 12.4 million Syrians are food insecure

In a significant increase that it described as "worrying," the program said that the figure of 12.4 million means that 60 percent of the Syrian population is now suffering from food insecurity, based on the results of a national assessment in late 2020.

This represents a sharp increase from the 9.3 million people who were food insecure in May 2020.

In addition, a spokeswoman for the World Food Program, Jessica Lawson, told AFP, "More Syrians are sliding into hunger, poverty and food insecurity than ever before," adding that it is alarming that the basic meal is now out of reach to majority of the families.

"The economic situation in Syria is causing tremendous pressure on families who have nothing left after years of conflict, and many of them depend completely on humanitarian aid to survive," she stressed.

The nearly ten-year-old Syrian war destroyed the economy and raised inflation across the country.

The World Food Program indicated that in early 2021, food prices across the country were 33 times higher than the average five years before the war.

In addition, the financial crisis in neighboring Lebanon has slowed the flow of dollars into Syria, and the closures have halted the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, adding to the economic problems.

J.O