ABU DHABI, 4th December, 2016 (WAM) --- Leading social media influencers in the six Gulf countries have launched a campaign in support of Syrian refugees in Jordan.

The campaign aims to raise awareness about the challenges faced by Syrian refugees in Jordan and to mobilise financial support, Office of the United High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, said on Sunday, noting that the country hosts some 655,000 refugees from Syria.

The campaign followed a three-day field visit to Jordan, during which the group examined firsthand the situation of the refugees and explored their living conditions.

One of the main objectives of the campaign is to provide support to 2,000 Syrian refugee families living outside the camps in Jordan through the UNHCRs Lifeline campaign.

The families targeted by the campaign have been classified as the most vulnerable and in need of urgent cash assistance before the end of the year. The cash support for these refugee families will be disbursed using iris scan technology, UNHCR said.

Khaled Khalifa, UNHCR Regional Representative for the Gulf Cooperation Council, GCC, praised the initiative led by these influencers, saying, "We are proud of the initiative led by an elite group of social media influencers to support Syrian refugees in Jordan."During the visit, the influencers published written and filmed stories on social media, drawing attention to refugee suffering and expressing their hopes for the future through the Arabic hashtag translated as "On mission." The group also visited refugees living outside refugee camps throughout the country and examined their living conditions and the difficulties they face. The team also visited Zaatari and Azraq refugee camps.

Syrian refugees are expected to face even harder difficulties in the winter season as their needs are expected to increase while financial resources shrink year after year, according to the UNHCR.

Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2016.