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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Iraqi refugees in Syria worry as govts dispute |
| 2009-09-14 |
| [Al Arabiya Latest] Despite recent meetings between the foreign ministers of Syria and Iraq, no steps have been taken in solving the problem of the ever growing population of Iraqi refugees in Syria, where the majority of refugees seem to be just fine. In the wake of the U.S.-led 2003 invasion of Iraq thousands of refugees fled to neighboring Syria and many of them are concerned about their fate since relations between the two countries have soured after the Aug. 19 bombings, known as "Bloody Wednesday." In the little town of Jermana, south of the capital of Damascus, the population doubled as refugees flooded in. Out of Jermana's 200,000 residents, 100,000 are Iraqi refugees, turning the area into a replica of an Iraqi city. "I am worried about the current situation," a refugee told Al Arabiya. "However, I still feel secure in Syria." Another refugee agreed and attributed this feeling of security to the fact that politics does not interfere with relations between people. "Anything can happen between politicians," he told Al Arabiya. "But this is not reflected on the citizens of both countries." Syria and Iraq restored their diplomatic relations in 2006 after almost three decades of frosty relations. But the relations turned sour last month after a suicide bomber killed almost 100 people by blowing up a truck at a ministry. The attacker made a tape in which he claimed he was trained in Syria. |
| Posted by:Fred |