Syrian refugees pour into Iraq

Up to 10,000 refugees from Syria yesterday crossed at Peshkhabour into Iraqi Kurdistan adding to the pressure placed on the Kurdish regional government and NGOs.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) stated a further 7,000 had crossed over last Thursday. Describing the exodus as the biggest single wave of refugees since the start of the Syrian uprising, the UNHCR said the authorities are struggling to cope with the situation.

An increase in fighting between Syrian Kurds and anti-government Islamist militants is believed to be behind the rise in refugee movement. The majority of refugees have now been using a new pontoon bridge over the Tigris to cross the border. The latest refugees arrived form the conflict zones of Aleppo, Hassakeh and Qamishli.

Over150,000 Syrian refugees have entered Iraq and close to two million people are known to have fled Syria since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad started in March 2011.