UN :More than 1.5 million refugees have fled Syria

UN's refugee agency has said that more than 1.5 million people have fled the conflict in Syria. According to the UNHCR, most have fled to Jordan and Lebanon, but not have all been registered yet, meaning the true total is likely to be far higher. The agency said, the situation inside Syria has deteriorated dramatically over the past four months. It says about 4.25 million people have been displaced within the country. The UNHCR says it has registered a million refugees since the beginning of this year alone, and that the widening gap between the needs and resources available is a growing challenge. The UN estimates that 80,000 people have died in the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Meanwhile, US media reported that Russia had sent sophisticated anti-ship missiles to Syria. The New York Times quoted unnamed US officials as saying missiles sent by Russia to Syria could be used to counter any potential future foreign military intervention. Another US newspaper, the Wall Street Journal, reports that Moscow has deployed at least a dozen warships to patrol waters near the Russian naval base in the Syrian city of Tartus. It quotes a senior US defence official as saying the deployment is a show of force by Moscow to demonstrate its commitment to the region.