UN: We Face the Worst Refugee Crisis Since WWII

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said Tuesday that the global community must do more to help Syria’s neighbors cope with the millions of people who have fled the country’s civil war. More than three million Syrians have arrived in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq during Syria’s nearly four-year war. Lebanon enforced new immigration controls along its border with Syria Monday in an attempt to stem the flow of people. Antonio Guterres told reporters in the Turkish capital of Ankara that he was concerned about such policies but expressed sympathy for countries that are bearing the brunt of what he said is the worst refugee crisis since World War II. “We are concerned with these measures but I think these measures should make the international community improve in a very meaningful way support to host countries including Lebanon in order to help them cope with these enormous challenges,” Guterres said. The UNHCR said earlier that nearly almost 350,000 people have taken to the seas this year in search of asylum or migration. It also said “this was a record number of people involved in the risky sea journeys around the world. Since January this year, 348,000 people had boarded the boats. The bulk of the arrivals had been in Europe, where more than 207,000 people had crossed the Mediterranean. Most were from Syria, where conflict has raged for nearly four years.” (Source: Syrian Coalition + Agencies)