“Tremendous increase” in Iraqis seeking protection, says UNHCR

There has been a “tremendous increase” in the past couple of days of Iraqis seeking temporary protection letters from the Damascus office of the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, spokesman Peter Kessler told a news conference on Monday in the Jordanian capital, Amman. A protection letter amounts to a recognition of refugee status and enables the holder to seek asylum. “Today we received more that 900 Iraqis, while yesterday our office was besieged by more than 750 Iraqis,” said Kessler. “Most appear to have been residing in Syria since long before the war started on 20 March.” Kessler reported that each of the Iraqis received a temporary protection letter, and that all appeared to be living with family in Damascus or nearby towns. However, no one had requested to be transferred to Al Hawl camp about 30 km from the Iraqi border in the northern Syrian province of Al Hasakah. UNHCR has deployed 30 additional emergency staff from Sunday to ensure that the border areas are properly monitored. The refugee agency plans to deploy mobile teams based throughout eastern Syria. “Normally, our Damascus office receives only 40 to 50 Iraqis on a daily basis. Last Sunday, 23 March, we saw the number shoot up to 150 persons, so it appears that more of Syria’s Iraqis are seeking us out,” Kessler said, noting that the increase may be due to Iraqis wishing to make their presence in Syria known in the event they should require assistance in the future. Kessler also reported that UNHCR had dispatched a field team to Dayr Az Zawr, from where the agency would monitor the Abu Kamal border crossing. On Tuesday, UNHCR staff are due to move onwards to the town of Al Hasakah which will serve as the agency’s base in eastern Syria, and from where it would monitor the Al Yarubiyeh and Faysh Khabur border crossings. UNHCR has an existing stockpile of relief items for 10,000 people in Syria, with additional items available at regional stockpiles at Iskenderun, Turkey, and Aqaba, Jordan.