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Published 17 Sep, 2012 07:39am

Jolie in Iraq urges open borders for Syria refugees

 IRAQ:Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie on Sunday called for Syria's neighbours to keep their borders open to refugees, during a visit to a refugee camp in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region.

“The most important thing is cooperation from the countries on the (Syrian) border... and to make sure these borders in all countries stay open,” said Jolie, a UN refugee agency (UNHCR) special envoy.

“I've been of course very encouraged to be here and hear the government speak of continuing this wonderful, life-saving open border policy,” she told reporters at the Domiz refugee camp in Dohuk province.

“I know how gracious the Kurdish government and the Kurdish region people have been to the Syrian refugees.”The three-province region hosts the majority of the Syrian refugees in Iraq.

According to the UNHCR Syria Regional Refugee Response website, there are 25,508 registered Syrian refugees in Iraq, of which 16,833 are in Dohuk province.

Another 10,914 Syrian refugees are awaiting registration, putting the total at more than 36,000.

The UNHCR has said more than 250,000 Syrian refugees have been registered in neighbouring countries.

The total number of Syrians who have fled the bloody civil war between supporters and opponents of President Bashar al-Assad is even greater.

“With the continuation of the bloodshed in Syria, we have to all be prepared for a greater influx (of refugees), and I'm so happy to hear that the government is continuing to commit to these people,” said Jolie.

The actress, who has been on a tour of countries bordering Syria, arrived in a white UN helicopter, then travelled to the camp by pickup truck.

She stepped out of the vehicle near the camp, waving to the whistling, cheering crowd of Syrian refugees that greeted her.