More than a quarter of Syrians live in extreme poverty, according to a World Bank report released on Saturday, marking 13 years since the start of a civil war that has devastated the nation's economy and impoverished millions.

The World Bank's two new reports on Syria reveal that "27 percent of Syrians — about 5.7 million individuals — live in extreme poverty."

"Extreme poverty, virtually non-existent before the conflict, affected more than one in four Syrians in 2022" and may have worsened after a catastrophic earthquake last year, one report indicated.

The earthquake, which struck in 2023, claimed around 6,000 lives in Syria.

The United Nations estimates that about 90 percent of Syrians live in poverty, with approximately 2 million living in extreme poverty due to over a decade of war.

The report highlights several factors exacerbating the situation, including Lebanon's economic collapse in late 2019, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine, all of which have further undermined Syrian household welfare.

The civil war has severely damaged Syria's economy, infrastructure, and industry, with Western sanctions compounding the country's difficulties.

"Continued funding shortfalls and limited access to humanitarian assistance" have intensified the struggles of impoverished Syrians, who are already dealing with "soaring prices, reduced access to essential services, and rising unemployment," the World Bank noted.

The UN previously informed AFP that its humanitarian response plan for Syria in 2024 requires over $4 billion, yet only six percent of this funding has been secured.

The international community will gather in Brussels on Monday for an annual pledging conference aimed at raising funds for Syria.

With limited opportunities and dwindling aid, many Syrians have come to rely on remittances from relatives abroad, with the World Bank estimating that "in 2022, the total value of remittances received by Syrian households reached about $1.05 billion."

Syria's GDP was estimated at around $6.2 billion in 2023.

The country's "real GDP is projected to contract by 1.5 percent in 2024, extending the 1.2 percent decline in 2023," the report stated.

"Inflation is anticipated to remain high in 2024 due to the pass-through effects of currency depreciation, along with persistent shortages and potential further subsidy cuts for food and fuel," it added.

The Syrian conflict has resulted in over half a million deaths and displaced millions since its onset in 2011 following the government's crackdown on anti-government protests.