The number of the Syrian refugees is at least 20 per cent higher than the number reported by the United Nations, the Washington Times reported yesterday.

A new analysis published last week by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy reported that the UN says the number of the Syrian refugees is 4.2 million and this number is expected to “increase sharply” during the coming months.

The analysis also said that “ethnic cleansing” is the main reason for the refugee crisis in Syria and this policy is widespread among the various fighting factions.

“The Syrian conflict is a sectarian war, and ethnic cleansing is an integral part of the strategy used by various actors, even if they claim otherwise,” the Washington Times reported.

The report added that the UN numbers are not precise as more than a million refugees have refused to register with the UN fearing arrest or being returned to Syria.

Based on the data, the actual number of Syrian refugee is around 5.3 million.