December 13, 2009

Nearly 1.2 million Iraqis have fled their country for safety in neighboring Syria, a high-ranking Syrian government official said.

The Iraqis fled following the 2003-U.S. invasion and the ensuing upsurge in violence and absence of law and order.

Syria’s Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad said Iraqi refugees, though a strain on his country’s economy, had the right to enjoy public amenities like their Syrian counterparts.

"Refugees in Syria have access to all the rights which Syrian citizens enjoy without any discrimination," he said.

The nearly one million of Iraqi refugees have opted to live in Damascus suburbs where their presence has lead to tough competition over jobs, housing, education and other amenities.

He said Syria has been spending up to $2 billion dollars a year on the Iraqis while their own government was offering $15 million a year as direct financial assistance.

The Iraqis in Syria, despite their dire conditions, prefer to stay rather than return home.

Most of the Iraqis in Syria have fled violence-stricken areas such Baghdad, Anbar, Mosul, Salahudeen and Baquba.

Many of them belong to the hard-pressed religions and ethnic minorities.