Palestinian Refugees on Iraq-Syria Border in Dire Conditions, Only 155 Allowed to Sweden, Help Needed from Other Countries

Some Palestinian refugees in Iraq will be moved to Scandinavia

Tuesday August 05, 2008 22:37 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Some Palestinian refugees in Iraq will be moved to Scandinavia

The United Nations Refugee Agency stated on Tuesday that some of the Palestinian Refugees who are stranded in Iraq will be relocated under a settlement program in Iceland and Sweden.

Ron Redmond, a spokesperson of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), stated that more than two dozen refugees who are stuck on the Iraq-Syria border since two years will be moved in the coming weeks to Iceland.

Some 155 refugees, stuck on the Syrian borders have been given the green light to move to Sweden, Redmond added.

Redmond told a news briefing in Geneva that the two groups include women and children who need urgent medical attention.

The UN stated that in the past 14 months, a dozen refuges died due to the lack of medical attention and treatment. Currently, there are 2,300 Palestinian refugees in two refugee camps that are set a the Iraq-Syria border. They are stranded there, cannot return to Iraq and cannot go to nearby Arab countries.

Palestinian refugees in Iraq were repeatedly attacked after the US-led invasion in 2003. Approximately 30.000 Palestinian refugees were living in Iraq. In 2006, Syria accepted 250 Palestinian refugees and then refused to allow more to enter its territories. Some Palestinian refugees who fled Iraq are currently settled in Europe, Chile, Brazil and Sudan.

Redmond stated that he hopes that all refugees would be able to leave the harsh life and conditions they face soon.

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