This Article is From Oct 26, 2019

Iraq Sees Surge In Syrian Refugees Amid Anti-Kurds Turkish Offensive: UN

Bardarash Camp, which has been recently re-opened to accommodate the newly displaced Syrians, witnesses a surge in refugee arrivals each day.

Iraq Sees Surge In Syrian Refugees Amid Anti-Kurds Turkish Offensive: UN

UN agencies are providing tents, food, mattresses, blankets, and hygiene kits to the refugees at the camp

Baghdad:

The number of Syrian refugees crossing the border into Iraq has increased significantly in recent days after the anti-Kurds Turkish offensive in the area, the UN said in a statement.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has so far provided food assistance to 8,850 newly-arrived Syrian refugees in Bardarash Camp located in Duhok province in Iraq's semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan, Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying on Friday.

A total of 176,000 people have been displaced in northeastern Syria due to military operations and the World Food Programme has managed to provide assistance in all collective shelters, according to Antoine Renard from WFP.

Bardarash Camp, which has been recently re-opened to accommodate the newly displaced Syrians fleeing military operations, witnesses a surge in refugee arrivals each day.

Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, special representative of the UN Secretary-General for Iraq, visited Bardarash Camp on Wednesday and expressed great concern about the increasing number of refugees, saying the camp will soon reach its maximum capacity of 11,000.

UN agencies were providing basic services in the camp, including tents, food, and core relief items such as mattresses, blankets and hygiene kits.

"Further support from the international community is urgently needed," Ms Hennis-Plasschaert said.

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