Iraqis lead group of asylum seekers around the world: U.N.

New York, Oct 18 (PTI) The number of people seeking
asylum around the world is on the rise with Iraqis leading the
group in search of safety, while America tops the list of
recipient nations, according to a latest U.N. report.

Russia and China sent second and third largest number
of claims of asylum-seekers during the first six months of
this year, 9,400 and 8,700 respectively, but Iraq exceeded
their combined total.

As per the report by the U.N. refugee agency, some
165,000 applications were submitted to the 44 industrialised
countries in the first six months of the year, and Iraqis made
up 12 percent of all asylum claims with 19,500 applications.

Although the total number of Iraqi asylum-seekers
dropped by 18 percent from the last six months and 10 percent
from the first half of 2007, the overall upward trend of
asylum claims continues.

A large number of people from Pakistan and
Afghanistan, 6,300 each, also sought asylum in the first half
of 2008. For war-torn Afghanistan this shows a 22 percent
increase from the corresponding period last year and a 42
percent rise from 2006.

While the top three countries of origin for asylum
seekers saw either a downward or stable trend, the number of
Somali claims rose significantly, reflecting a deteriorating
situation in the conflict-wracked Horn of Africa country.

More than 7,400 Somalis have registered between
January and June this year, compared to 5,000 for the same
period last year.

A significant increase in number of applicants has
been registered from Mali, Zimbabwe, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Sri
Lanka, Ctte d'Ivoire, Georgia and the Democratic Republic of
the Congo (D.R.C.).

Overall, the data showed an increase of 9 percent in
2007 compared to 2006 and 3 percent from the first half of
2007.

Assuming that current patterns remain unchanged,
Office of the United Nations High Commisioner for Refugees
(U.N.H.C.R.) predicts that the number of asylum claims lodged
during the whole of this year could reach 360,000, or 10
percent more than 2007.

The report also noted that an estimated 25,400 people
submitted asylum claims to the United States, the largest
recipient of new claims, representing 15 percent of all
applications lodged in the first six months of 2008.

Canada ranked second as a country of destination with
16,800 applications, or around 10 percent of all asylum
claims lodged.