Page 9 - atoday dec 23
P. 9
WORLD NEWS 9
Wednesday 23 December
IOM: Over 1 million refugees, migrants enter Europe in 2015
Afghan migrants camp out on the Place de la Republique in Paris, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2015. Dozens and it’s desirable,” he said, Sea. Another 150,000 came
of Afghan migrants chose the site of the Paris attacks memorial to call attention to their lack of adding: “Migration must into Italy across the Medi-
housing. be legal, safe and secure terranean from north Af-
for all — both for the mi- rica, while smaller numbers
(AP Photo/Jacques Brinon) grants themselves and the crossed from Turkey by land
countries that will become into neighboring Greece
their new home.” and Bulgaria. Much smaller
The IOM compiles the numbers arrived by boat
numbers from government to other Mediterranean
records in Greece, Italy, countries.Others — not
Bulgaria, Spain, Malta and accounted for in the IOM
Cyprus, spokesman Joel tally — crossed into Europe
Millman said. He noted that across other borders, such
the real number of people as a route from Russia to
entering Europe may be Norway where a few thou-
even larger, because au- sand people have crossed
thorities are struggling to by bicycle.
track all arrivals given the About half of the people
sheer volume. entering Europe were Syr-
Most people entered Eu- ians, while 20 percent were
rope via Greece, which Afghans and 7 percent
took in 820,000 people this Iraqis, IOM said.
year, nearly all of them Many fleeing war and per-
crossing from Turkey by secution are likely to be
boat across the Aegean granted refugee status. q
JAMEY KEATEN ping a mass movement than four times as many as
Associated Press of people that has chal- last year. Almost all came
GENEVA (AP) — More than lenged the concept of Eu- by sea, while 3,692 others
1 million people driven out ropean unity. drowned trying to make
of their countries by war, With just days left in 2015, the crossing. IOM director-
poverty and persecution the Geneva-based Inter- general William Lacy Swing
entered Europe in this re- national Organization for urged European govern-
cord-breaking year, migra- Migration said 1,005,504 ments to make migration
tion experts said Tuesday, people had entered Eu- safer. “We know migration
a symbolic milestone cap- rope as of Monday, more is inevitable. It’s necessary
Turkey: Russian campaign boosts IS in Syria
ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish The prime minister con- Davutoglu also welcomed
Prime Minister Ahmed Da- demned what he said was a U.N Security Council reso-
vutoglu slammed Russia on a Russian Air Force attack lution endorsing an interna-
Tuesday for bombing mod- in the Syrian town of Idlib on tional road map for the Syr-
erate rebels and civilians Dec. 20, an incident that ian peace process but ex-
in Syria, arguing that Mos- killed more than 40 people, pressed concern that the
cow’s aerial campaign has according to early reports. Syrian people will not be
boosted the Islamic State Relations between An- protected from “Assad’s
group. kara and Moscow soured cruelty.”
Davutoglu told members of last month after the Turkish Turkey and Russia, which
his ruling Justice and Devel- army downed a Russian were previously close eco-
opment party that Russia jet on the Syrian border, nomic partners, are at
has mostly been “target- an incident that led to the odds over Syria. Moscow
ing moderate opposition death of a Russian pilot staunchly defends the Da-
groups and civilians,” and and rescue marine. Ankara mascus regime of President
that IS militants have be- has said its airspace was Bashar Assad while Turkey
come “stronger in areas violated and warnings ig- has served as a base for
where opposition groups nored. Moscow has denied Syria’s armed and political
lost power.” this. opposition.q
