AmeriCares responds to growing refugee crisis as U.S launches war on Iraq

With the onset of military action against Iraq, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, today urgently appealed to all governments neighboring Iraq to keep their borders open to those in need of temporary protection and assistance. As military action mounts, the number of refugees could reach as high as 1.2 million people.
An AmeriCares relief team heads to Turkey tomorrow morning to assess this critical humanitarian crisis. Working with Turkish government officials including representatives from the Ministry of Health as well as the Red Crescent Society and Blue Crescent Society, AmeriCares is already sending medicines and nutritionals, as well as blankets, water containers and clothing. This inital shipment will aid refugees who settle along the Turkish border.

AmeriCares is also preparing for a possible mass refugee exodus into other bordering countries such as Jordan and Iran. Contributions of medicines and other relief aid are arriving in our warehouses in Connecticut and Europe for transport to the region.