Five people died and fifty others were injured this morning when a car bomb exploded in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. The explosion has been linked to the ongoing civil war in neighbouring Syria.

Violence in Syria began in March 2011 and since then an estimated 2.5 million people have fled with many of those crossing the border into Lebanon.

Shona Murray has been covering the situation in Syria for Newstalk all year. She says that the number of people fleeing the war is likely to increase and that starvation is now becoming an issue, despite the volume of aid entering the country.

Shona was in Lebanon in recent weeks where she visited a settlement camp on the Lebanese/Syrian border. Aid agencies such as World Vision provide for 500,000 Syrians in the camps, giving them basic food and water, and arranging remedial classes for the thousands of children missing school.

While there she spoke to some of the refugees that have crossed the border, as well as to community activists working with them inside Lebanon. 

She also spoke to people affected by the violence and rape that has characterised the war.

Shona Murray presents World in Motion on Newstalk. She joined Chris Donoghue on this morning's Newstalk Breakfast.