Monday, October 1, 2012

UN: 700,000 Syrian refugees expected to flee war-torn country by end of year

Estimate by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees comes following what Syrian activists say was the bloodiest day of the 18-month uprising, with over 300 reported dead.

 The number of refugees fleeing Syria could reach 700,000 by the end of the year, the UN refugee agency said on Thursday, far surpassing its previous forecast of 185,000 reached in August.

About 294,000 Syrian refugees fleeing 18 months of conflict in their homeland have already crossed into four neighboring countries - Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and Turkey - or await registration there, it said.


"This plan provides for up to 700,000," Panos Moumtzis, regional refugee coordinator for the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, told a news briefing.


According to the UN's Refugee Agency, 2,000-3,000 Syrian refugees are added to the total each day.

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