Officials: Syrian refugees in Turkey expected to reach 1.5 million in 2014

ANKARA, Turkey – Turkish and U.N. officials say the number of Syrian refugees in Turkey is expected to reach 1.5 million by the end of 2014.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, quoting Turkish officials, said Monday an estimated 300,000 refugees will be living in refugee camps in 2014 with a further 1.2 million living outside of the camps. Turkey currently hosts some 700,000 refugees.

Fuat Oktay, the head of Turkey's crisis management agency, said the 21 refugee camps in Turkey are prepared for winter but the cold remains a problem for refugees living on their own means outside of the camps.

Oktay said Turkey has spent more than US$2 billion on refugees and that only 37 percent of its appeal for international assistance to provide for the refugees has been met.