A group of nearly 200 members of Syrian Kurdish families started crossing into Iraq's Kurdistan Region (KRI) over the weekend to escape fighting in northeastern Syria, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a press release on Tuesday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th October, 2019) A group of nearly 200 members of Syrian Kurdish families started crossing into Iraq's Kurdistan Region (KRI) over the weekend to escape fighting in northeastern Syria, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a press release on Tuesday."A day after their entry into Iraq, 182 Syrians were brought by local security forces to a processing center near the Sahela border in Duhok, KRI's [Iraqi Kurdistan] northernmost governorate," the release said.
An IOM-deployed Rapid Assessment and Response Teams (RART) were present in the town of Sahela, to receive the Syrian families and evaluate their fitness to travel further, the release said.
Syrian migrants fled fighting between invading Turkish troops and Syrian government forces in a standoff triggered by a United States' withdrawal of its military units from the area.
"IOM Iraq is gravely concerned by the emerging crisis in Northern Syria, that is putting thousands of already vulnerable individuals in harm's way," IOM Iraq Chief of Mission Gerard Waite said in the release. "In collaboration with UN partners, IOM Iraq will support Syrians as they cross the border, and protect and assist those in need."
IOM Iraq is providing transportation to take Syrian families from reception facilities to the camps; as well as providing health assessments, shelter kits and other non-food items as needed, according to the release.
