Tehran, Aug 29, IRNA - The heads of the UN organizations responsible for refugee protection and food assistance appreciated Iraq for hosting some 200,000 Syrian refugees.
UNHCR chief Ant?nio Guterres and Executive Director of the World Food Program Ertharin Cousin expressed their appreciation to Iraq for welcoming fleeing Syrians and working with UN organizations to address their basic needs.

According to a UNHCR press release, in the last two weeks alone, 46,000 Syrians crossed the border and entered Iraq which itself faces major security challenges and a vast population of 1.1 million internally displaced citizens,.

�With the escalation of this conflict, Syria could be on the edge of an abyss. This war has resulted in a humanitarian calamity without parallel in recent history,� Guterres said. �When a war sweeps up a nation, there can be nothing more important to its people than open borders.� Guterres urged all neighboring countries to ensure access to territory to all Syrians forced to flee.

�Enough,� Ms. Cousin said, �now is the time for the global community to come together to ensure the violence ends and the healing begins. The children of Syria are depending on us not just to meet their needs today but to provide hope for a better tomorrow.�

By IRNA