Region | Palestinian Territories
25 stranded Palestinian refugees head to Iceland
At least 25 Palestinians stranded in a desert camp on the Syrian-Iraqi border left on Monday for new homes in Iceland, members of the group said.
- Agencies
- Published: 14:40 September 8, 2008
Damascus: At least 25 Palestinians stranded in a desert camp on the Syrian-Iraqi border left on Monday for new homes in Iceland, members of the group said.
The 25 are among 2,600 Palestinians who fled the violence in Iraq more than two years ago and set up two camps along the Syrian border with Iraq.
Faten Mahmoud Al Hassem is a 38-year-old mother of two who has been at the desert camp for 18 months. She says she's "glad to run away from war in Iraq."
She told The Associated Press by telephone shortly before the group's departure on Monday that she hopes her children can find "better living conditions in Iceland."
Palestinians in Iraq have become a target for persecution in recent years.
The UN refugee agency says Iceland has agreed to host 55 refugees, and Sweden will take 155.
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