Iraqi refugees in Syria have a choice between 2 bad options

BEIRUT , Lebanon – As the conflict in Syria has raged over the past two years, the sectarian bloodletting, the car bombs and the rise of religious extremists have been all too familiar to one group of people in the country: Iraqi refugees. (more…)

Syria agrees to renew passports of overseas citizens

BEIRUT, Lebanon – The Syrian government appeared to make a significant concession to the opposition Wednesday, agreeing to renew the passports of millions of Syrians living abroad. (more…)

UN: 250,000 Palestinians in Syria are two-time refugees

The 22-month old conflict in Syria has displaced half of the country’s 500,000 Palestinian refugees, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said on Friday.

The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) said 20,000 of the estimated 250,000 Palestinians displaced by the conflict had fled to neighbouring Lebanon (more…)

Israel to deport tens of thousands of Africans

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday he aims to repatriate tens of thousands of African illegal migrants and that the inflow into Israel from the Sinai peninsula has been brought to a halt.

“Our aim is to repatriate tens of thousands of infiltrators now in Israel to their countries of origin,” he said, adding Israel had been in contact (more…)

Violence against Christians could result in mass emigration

The recent deadly attacks on residents in the Beirut and Damascus Christian districts have sparked a warning by a Maronite Christian bishop of a massive wave of Christian refugees heading for Europe and the US.

Bishop Maroun Nasser Gemayel was reported in the Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) publication as saying that Middle Eastern Christians were desperate for security and freedom. (more…)

Turkey calls for international assistance to aid Syrian refugees

Beirut , Lebanon — Beleaguered Turkish officials called Monday for international assistance to aid escalating numbers of Syrian refugees arriving at Turkey’s borders, and French President Francois Hollande said his country would recognize new Syrian leadership as soon as “it is formed.” (more…)

Targeted in Syria civil war, Iraqis flee back home

When he saw the bodies of men and women left rotting in the streets of Damascus, Hassan Hadi knew that the sectarian violence he had fled Iraq to escape years ago had now come to Syria. Despairingly, he left his belongings and fled again, back home.
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IRIN Analysis: Syria’s forgotten refugees

While the world focuses on the tens of thousands of Syrian refugees fleeing the increasingly violent conflict, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis in Syria , have been all but forgotten.

Syrian refugees flood Turkey

The Turkish government reported a record number of refugees fleeing Syrian military offensives across the border, just days before a Syrian government pledged to withdraw military forces from population centers.

In 24 hours at least 2,741 Syrians fled down smugglers’ paths (more…)

Syrian refugee crisis reignites sectarian divide in Lebanon

By Chris Doyle
Once a sanctuary for refugees, Lebanon is now divided down sectarian lines in how it reacts to those fleeing Syria