WFP: Syria Refugees Need More Aid

More aid must reach Syrian refugees to meet "expanding needs", the head of the U.N.'s World Food Program said Monday ahead of a visit to camps in Turkey.

"This is a global crisis and we are working together to make sure that we meet the needs of those seeking our support," Ertharin Cousin said in an interview.

"To date we are providing assistance to approximately 1.5 million Syrians inside Syria and the cost is $25 million (19 million euros) per month, and we are performing at this level since September of last year.

"These are expanding needs," she said.

Cousin will on Tuesday visit Kilis in southeastern Turkey, where 12,000 refugees have set up home along the border with Syria.

Around 153,000 refugees are living in 14 camps across Turkey's southeast, said Turkish Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan in the same interview.

Some further 75,000 displaced Syrians are either living with relatives or managing to support themselves, the minister said.

Turkey, which broke off relations with its former ally Syria after the deadly crackdown by President Bashar Assad's regime on popular protests that erupted in March 2011, has donated $350 million to help refugees, he added.