Accessibility links

Breaking News

Number Of Iraqi Asylum Seekers Surged Last Year


(RFE/RL) March 23, 2007 -- The UN's refugee agency says the number of Iraqis seeking asylum in Western countries rose by 77 percent in 2006 over the previous year.


But the 22,200 Iraqi asylum seekers in 2006 were well below the peak level of about 50,000 in 2002, the year before the U.S.-led invasion.


The UNHCR said the total number of people seeking asylum in industrialized countries dropped by 10 percent last year, marking a 20-year low.


Iraqis made up the largest group, followed by asylum seekers from China, Russia, and Serbia and Montenegro.


(Reuters, AFP)

RFE/RL Iraq Report

RFE/RL Iraq Report


SUBSCRIBE For weekly news and analysis on Iraq by e-mail, subscribe to "RFE/RL Iraq Report."

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.

To find out more, click here.

XS
SM
MD
LG