UN: Syrians To Replace Afghans As Largest Refugee Group

The Quru Gusik refugee camp for Syrians in northern Iraq.

The UN says Syrians are about to replace Afghans as the largest population of refugees in the world.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres told the UN General Assembly on February 25 that Syria is going from a country that five years ago was one of the largest hosts of refugees in the world to a country that will soon have the most citizens in the world living as refugees.

He said some 2.4 million Syrians have fled to other countries to escape the violence in Syria since fighting between the government and opposition forces started nearly three years ago.

There are currently an estimated 2.6 million Afghan refugees living in other countries.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that some 9.3 million Syrians are in need of humanitarian aid.

Based on reporting by the Associated Press