The massive increase in Syrians seeking refuge in Europe is largely driven by the inability of overwhelmed Mideast countries to cope with the crisis as resources dry up, a senior official with the International Organization for Migration said Wednesday.
The capacity of countries like Lebanon and Jordan "have reached their utmost limits," prompting Syrians to seek refuge elsewhere and contributing to the tide of migrants and refugees heading to Europe, said Hassan Abdel Moneim Mostafa, IOM's senior regional adviser for North Africa, the Middle East, and Gulf states.
"The refugees know and understand and feel and are living this," Mostafa said. "And therefore they turn to look for a solution. What is the solution? Let's knock on Europe's doors as this is a region we haven't yet gone to."
The vast majority of Syria's 4 million refugees reside in neighboring Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. Lebanon hosts 1.1 million, equivalent to a quarter of its population. (Read More)
