In Syria, government forces fully control the town of Qara after almost a week of heavy fighting which caused over 15,000 Syrian refugees to cross into Lebanon. Meanwhile, the UN stated that it has brokered an agreement allowing for the Government of Syria and opposition negotiators to meet for peace talks in Geneva on January 22. The opposition reaffirmed the conditions of its participation: the release of prisoners, humanitarian assistance for besieged towns, and the exclusion of President Assad from the new transitional government.
In the Philippines, an estimated 13.17 million people have been affected by Typhoon Haiyan to date, according to OCHA. The number of displaced has been reduced to 3.43 million people, but people continue to move from the worst affected areas in search of aid and shelter. The death toll currently stands at 5,235 people, with another 1,613 still reported as missing.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, clashes between government forces and a group of insurgents in Province Orientale have displaced 200,000 people between August and November. Sporadic violence has been recorded in the east of the province over the last three months and has reportedly affected up to 300,000 people so far.
Last Updated: 26/11/2013 Next Update: 03/12/2013
