Hundreds of thousands more could flee Iraqi violence-UN (Reuters)

[Eugene]

Hundreds of thousands more could flee Iraqi violence-UN
03 Nov 2006 15:44:15 GMT
Source: Reuters

By Laura MacInnis

GENEVA, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Some 50,000 Iraqis are fleeing their homes each month
and hundreds of thousands more may soon follow, fearing prolonged instability
in the country, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday.

"We fear hundreds of thousands more Iraqis who have waited to see an improvement
in the situation are now teetering on the brink of displacement," UNHCR spokesman
Ron Redmond told journalists in Geneva.

At least 1.6 million are what the U.N. calls internally displaced within Iraq and
1.8 million have fled to neighbouring countries such as Jordan, Egypt, Syria,
Lebanon and Iran, according to the UNHCR.

-snip-

"The enormous scale of the needs, the ongoing violence and the difficulties in reaching
the displaced make it a problem that is practically beyond the capacity of humanitarian
agencies," Redmond said.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L03919266.htm

Also: UNHCR concerned about rising violence in Iraq and inadequate humanitarian response - UNHCR