Iraqis top list of asylum seekers – UNHCR

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqis top the list of the asylum applicants to the industrialized world for the fourth consecutive year, according to a report released by the U.N. Refugee Agency “Iraq remains the top country of origin of the asylum applicants (13,200 claims) for the fourth consecutive year. Afghans (12,000 claims) and Somalis (11,000 claims) are the second and third largest groups as security conditions continue to deteriorate in large parts of their home countries,” the agency said. “The other main countries of origin are China, Serbia (including Kosovo), the Russian Federation, Nigeria, Mexico, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka,” it added. “As a region, Europe received 75 percent of all asylum applications although the United States remained the single largest recipient country with an estimated 13 percent of all applications filed in industrialized nations (23,700).” “These statistics show that ongoing violence and instability in some parts of the world force increasing numbers of people to flee and seek protection in safe countries,” High Commissioner António Guterres said. SH (S) 1