Dozens of Iraqi refugees — mostly children — have been expelled from a camp in Syria and sent back to their homeland, the United Nations said today. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said Syrian security forces entered the El-Hol refugee camp in the country's north-east on Monday and removed nine adults and 23 children. The group is believed to have been taken to the Iraqi side of the border, the agency said. Another 12 Iraqis were expelled from the camp on April 13. UNHCR said both groups were residents of the Iraqi city of Tikrit, a stronghold of Saddam Hussein's regime, which fell to US troops a week ago.
UNHCR said Syrian authorities cited "security concerns" when asked to explain the expulsions. The agency said it appreciated the pressure Syria is under not to give sanctuary to Saddam Hussein loyalists but urged Syrian authorities to give safe haven to asylum seekers. "We are aware of the complexity of the situation, but we insist that the basic norms of international refugee law ... be observed by all concerned parties," said UNHCR chief Ruud Lubbers. UNHCR also said it was worried about an estimated 1,000 refugees and other desperate residents of Iraq who have been stuck in no man's land between Iraq and Jordan.
| I don't think those are the Iraqis we were looking for, though if Ruud's against throwing them out I guess I'm for it... |
|