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FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Dec. 26, 2022) — Two children have died after a fire broke out in their tent in a camp in North East Syria, bringing the number of children who've been killed or injured in similar incidents over the past five months to 17. 

Today's tragedy at Areesha camp in the Hasakah governate, which killed a five-month-old boy and his one-and-a-half-year-old sister, highlights the dangers of daily life for children living in camps for those displaced by the conflict in Syria, as families are forced to rely on unsafe ways to keep warm this winter. 

Earlier this month, an 11-year-old girl passed away as a result of her injuries two days after a fire at her school in Tal Al Saman camp, which also injured ten people, including eight children. 

In August, a four-year-old Iraqi girl died of burns she sustained when two tents caught fire in Al Hol camp. Two weeks prior, two children reportedly died, and four others were injured in another fire that broke out in the Washukani camp in North East Syria, burning six tents. 

Matt Sugrue, Operations Director for »ÆÉ«ÊÓƵSyria, said:

"The risks that children face in Syria on a daily basis are multi-fold, especially when they are displaced and find themselves in conflict-affected areas. We cannot let the deaths of children in these circumstances become normalized, and we must invest more in the protection, education, and other basic needs of children throughout Syria, to ensure their rights are protected."

»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵhas been working in Syria since 2012, reaching over five million people, including more than three million children across the country, and providing protection and support services in Al Hol, including child-friendly spaces. »ÆÉ«ÊÓƵalso provides specialized case management support for children with particular needs and nutrition and education services.