UNHCR: 2 million people became refugees since starting 2017

Baku. 3 October. REPORT.AZ/ More than 2 million people had to flee their countries as refugees in 2017. 

Report informs referring to TASS, Filippo Grandi, head of UNHCR (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) said at the opening of the 68th plenary session of UNHCR's Executive Committee  in Geneva.

“In 2017, more than two million people fled their countries as refugees,” he said. “Very often they are sick, traumatized, hungry and found in remote locations, communities suffering from poverty and underdevelopment.”

“There were 65.6 million people forcibly displaced at the end of 2016 and their number tends to be on the rise over next five years. Largest number of displaced persons in the world account for Syria,” said High Commissioner.

Filippo Grandi added that return of the refugees to their countries of origin is possible only on voluntary basis.