This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/03/syria-refugee-numbers-two-million
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Syria refugee numbers pass 2 million | Syria refugee numbers pass 2 million |
| (17 days later) | |
| More than 2 million refugees have fled Syria's civil war, piling pressure on neighbouring host countries, the United Nations has said. The tide of children, women and men crossing borders has risen almost tenfold over the past 12 months, figures released on Tuesday by the UN refugee agency UNHCR show. On average, almost 5,000 people take refuge in Syria's neighbours every day, according to the report. "Syria has become the great tragedy of this century – a disgraceful humanitarian calamity with suffering and displacement unparalleled in recent history," said the UN high commissioner for refugees, Antonio Guterres. The number of people displaced inside Syria remains at around 4.25m, the report says. | More than 2 million refugees have fled Syria's civil war, piling pressure on neighbouring host countries, the United Nations has said. The tide of children, women and men crossing borders has risen almost tenfold over the past 12 months, figures released on Tuesday by the UN refugee agency UNHCR show. On average, almost 5,000 people take refuge in Syria's neighbours every day, according to the report. "Syria has become the great tragedy of this century – a disgraceful humanitarian calamity with suffering and displacement unparalleled in recent history," said the UN high commissioner for refugees, Antonio Guterres. The number of people displaced inside Syria remains at around 4.25m, the report says. |
| Angelina Jolie, the UNHCR envoy, said: "If the situation continues to deteriorate at this rate, the number of refugees will only grow and some neighbouring countries could be brought to the point of collapse." | Angelina Jolie, the UNHCR envoy, said: "If the situation continues to deteriorate at this rate, the number of refugees will only grow and some neighbouring countries could be brought to the point of collapse." |
| Ministers from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey – the four main hosts of Syrian refugees – were due to meet officials from the agency in Geneva on Wednesday to work out ways to raise more international aid. | Ministers from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey – the four main hosts of Syrian refugees – were due to meet officials from the agency in Geneva on Wednesday to work out ways to raise more international aid. |
| The UNHCR said in August that its work had so far stopped the refugee crisis spiralling out of control but "a far more substantial and coherent strategy" was needed than the $2.9bn refugee aid effort already under way. | The UNHCR said in August that its work had so far stopped the refugee crisis spiralling out of control but "a far more substantial and coherent strategy" was needed than the $2.9bn refugee aid effort already under way. |
| Syria's uprising against four decades of rule by the family of President Bashar al-Assad has turned into an increasingly sectarian civil war that has killed more than 100,000 people. | Syria's uprising against four decades of rule by the family of President Bashar al-Assad has turned into an increasingly sectarian civil war that has killed more than 100,000 people. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |