Thursday, February 7, 2008

‘More Iraqis heading to Syria than returning’

"Thursday, February 07, 2008
BAGHDAD: Iraqis are once again leaving Iraq for Syria in greater numbers than they are returning, despite the decreasing levels of bloodshed in their homeland, the UN refugee agency said on Wednesday.

A report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, citing Syrian immigration officials, said that in late January an average of 1,200 Iraqis came to Syria every day compared with around 700 who returned.

Most of those Iraqis who are returning say they are doing so more because their Syrian visas have expired or because they have run out of money, rather than because of an improvement in conditions in Iraq, the report explained......"

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