Record number of Syrian refugees in Jordan

A record number of Syrian refugees have flooded neighbouring Jordan over the past 24 hours, the UN said on Friday, as violence raged unabated in several flashpoints across the strife-torn country.

More than 6,400 refugees have arrived in Jordan since Thursday, said the United Nations refugee agency, the UNHCR, bringing to over 30,000 the number of arrivals since the start of the month.

At the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos, Jordan's King Abdullah II said global support for the refugees both in his country and in Lebanon was "desperately needed."

"The weakest refugees are struggling now just to survive this year's harsh winter. More international support is desperately needed," the king said.

"I cannot emphasise enough the challenges that we are all facing, both in Jordan and Lebanon, and it's only going to get worse," he said five days before a donors' conference to be held Kuwait.

The past 24 hours have been dramatic for Jordan's main refugee camp, UNHCR spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said in Geneva as she revealed a "record" number of arrivals.

Meanwhile in Saraqeb, in the northwestern province of Idlib, activists said protesters also demonstrated against the jihadist Al-Nusra Front rebel group which is listed by the United States as a "terrorist" organisation.