Thursday, March 15, 2007
WFP launches appeal for $1.7 mn. to feed Iraqi refugees in Syria
Humanitarian
(AP) The World Food Program launched an appeal for $1.7 million to help feed tens of thousands of Iraqi refugees who are continuing to arrive in Syria and increasingly lack the resources to take care of themselves. "Up to mid-2006, many Iraqi refugees entering Syria had adequate resources to cover their needs," the agency said in a statement asking for donations. "As targeted violence continues in Iraq, the number of those fleeing and arriving unable to sustain themselves is rapidly increasing."
(AP) The World Food Program launched an appeal for $1.7 million to help feed tens of thousands of Iraqi refugees who are continuing to arrive in Syria and increasingly lack the resources to take care of themselves. "Up to mid-2006, many Iraqi refugees entering Syria had adequate resources to cover their needs," the agency said in a statement asking for donations. "As targeted violence continues in Iraq, the number of those fleeing and arriving unable to sustain themselves is rapidly increasing."
While the majority of refugees rely on extended family networks and savings to support themselves, the agency noted, many in the recent wave have no such support and have not even had time to sell their belongings before fleeing. Bradford added that as refugees have flooded into Syria, where they already number nearly 1 million, the competition for jobs and work permits has become increasingly stiff, forcing many Iraqis into illegal and exploitative jobs.
The agency currently provides food assistance to 7,000 people and plans to help 2,500 more each month until the end of the year. Last month, the Damascus office of the U.N. refugee agency said about 40,000 Iraqis are arriving in Syria each month, almost double the rate from only a few months ago. The refugees have placed a strain on Syria, causing a rise in the prices of housing and goods and overcrowding the country's schools. Syria's Interior Ministry said in December that the country has admitted more than 800,000 Iraqis fleeing the raging violence. An estimated 1.8 million Iraqi refugees are scattered throughout the Middle East, according to U.N. figures.
Labels: refugees, Syria, World Food Program
