1/20th Of Iraqi Population Have Fled, Equivalent to 15 Million Americans

[Jcrowley]

U.N.: 914,000 have fled homes in Iraq
By FRANK JORDANS, Associated Press Writer Fri Oct 20, 9:43 AM ET

GENEVA - At least 914,000 Iraqis have fled their homes since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, more than a third since an increase in sectarian bloodshed at the start of this year, the U.N. refugee agency said Friday.

The overall number is likely to be much higher, said Ron Redmond, chief spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. The agency has concluded that 754,000 displaced Iraqis remain in the country, while tens of thousands more have sought refuge abroad.

"We remain extremely concerned about the rapidly deteriorating situation in Iraq and the ongoing displacement this is creating both inside and outside Iraq," Redmond told reporters.

Redmond told The Associated Press that at least 40,000 Iraqis have arrived in Syria every month for the last four months.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061020/ap_on_re_mi_ea/un_refugees_iraq