Un: Syrian Refugees Continue To Increase Amidst Growing Violence

[News_Editor]

UN: Syrian refugees continue to increase amidst growing violence < br />

2012-08-12 07:00:45 GMT+7 (ICT)

GENEVA (BNO NEWS) -- The United Nations (UN) on Friday reported an increase of Syrian refugees, as the country continues to face heavy violence.

A spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Adrian Edwards, spoke in a press conference, stating that the agency's data, shows a total population of 146,667 people as of Thursday in the refugee community.

However, Edwards added that in several countries, the agency has knowledge of substantial refugee populations who have not yet registered, as offices in Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan and Iraq have reported increases this week in the number of refugees from Syria.

According to the UN, an estimated 17,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began some 17 months ago in Syria.

The UNHCR said in Turkey, the refugee population now stands at 50,227 people, with more than 6,000 new arrivals recorded this week alone. Many of these are from Aleppo and surrounding villages, but others are from Idlib and Latakia.

While the main flow is into Turkey, around 8,000 people returned home voluntarily during July mainly to villages in Syria's Idlib area, UNHCR noted, the agency added.

On Monday, the Turkish Government opened a new camp at Akcakale, a district in the country's south-east. According to the refugee agency, it has also announced its intention to double its overall reception capacity from the current 50,000 people to 100,000 people, with the construction of as many as thirteen additional sites. Currently refugees are hosted in nine camps, with women and children accounting for 72 percent of the population.

In Iraq, there are now 13,587 refugees, with most arrivals this past week in the Kurdistan region.

A growing number of Iraqis are also returning from Syria, including 2,993 who have come back since the start of August. Since mid-July, 23,228 Iraqis have left Syria to return home.

In Jordan, the number of refugees has reached 45,869 people, with 3,891 of these having arrived so far in August. Of the registered population, most have come from the Dara'a or Homs areas of Syria.

Meanwhile, in Lebanon, 36,841 Syrian refugees are now either registered or assisted, but many thousands who have recently arrived in Lebanon are not yet registered with UNHCR.

Over recent days, there have been reports of an escalation in violence in many towns and villages, as well as the country's two biggest cities, Damascus and Aleppo, with the latter reportedly the center of intense combat between Government and opposition forces, involving both aerial bombardments and heavy weaponry.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-08-12

[maidu]

what a sad contrast: Syria and London. One showing the best manifestations of humankind, the other showing the worst.

[Scott]

And a topic probably worth reading that goes largely ignored.

[yourauntbob]

All the best to the Syrian people, its a shame you are being punished because you have a leader with no morals or value for human life. Hopefully more western governments will wake up and help you in your cause.

[simple1]

Interestingly the wife of the Turkish PM made mention she is a personal friend of Assad's wife and is surprised Assad's wife has not returned to the UK as a gesture of support for the Syrian people. The timing of this statement is political, so just maybe their is still some hope that Assad will resign. For the moment it looks like the opposition forces are going to be eliminated as it doesn't appear they are being supplied weapons to take on helicopters/aircraft/tanks. Regards the refugees, should the regime win the civil war, god knows what recriminations they will have to suffer when they return to Syria.

Edited August 13, 2012 by simple1

[Rancid]

All the best to the Syrian people, its a shame you are being punished because you have a leader with no morals or value for human life. Hopefully more western governments will wake up and help you in your cause.

Are you suggesting another military involvement in the Middle East? Seems they have the choice of the oppressive dictator or the oppressive Sharia regime that will eventually folow it, great choices.