Authorities in Jordan on Tuesday (October 10th) estimated at more than $10 billion the cost of hosting thousands of refugees displaced from neighbouring Syria since the civil war broke out there in 2011, AFP reported.
The UN says that some 650,000 Syrian refugees are currently being housed in Jordan, but the government puts the figure far higher at around 1.3 million people.
In a statement released on social media, the foreign ministry said "more than $10.3 billion" had been spent on putting up the refugees.
That figure covered additional expenses in sectors including health, education and employment, and also extra money spent on public services and subsidised food, it said.
Jordan, which shares a 370 kilometre border with Syria, estimates that almost $1.7 billion will be needed to cover the refugees this year.
