UN calls for nearly $300 million to help Syrian refugees in Iraq

UNITED NATIONS - With no let-up to the war in Syria, the United Nations, humanitarian and development agencies in Iraq on Tuesday appealed for 298 million US dollars to back ongoing assistance for nearly 250,000 Syrian refugees in Iraq, a UN spokesman told reporters here.

"That appeal was made at the launch of the Iraq chapter of the Syria Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan in Erbil today," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here.

"The response plan for Iraq is committed to continue providing continued protection and assistance to Syrian refugees, to meet their basic needs," Dujarric said. "It also recognizes the need to increase the resilience of refugees as well as host communities and calls for a greater investment in education and increased opportunities for vocational training and livelihoods."

According to the UN refugee agency, there are currently some 400,000 Syrian refugees in Iraq.

Also on Tuesday, the UN under-secretary-general for field support, Atul Khare, wrapped up a three-day trip to Iraq.

Khare visited the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, as well as Erbil, where he discussed key support issues with members of the host government, the spokesman said, adding that the under-secretary-general also met with senior management and held a town hall meeting with the UN Mission in Iraq.