UN: Over 4,000 people have fled Syria unrest

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 05/20/2011

The UN refugee agency says more than 4,000 people have fled Syria to neighboring countries in recent weeks to escape a brutal crackdown against anti-government protesters.

A spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees says some 1,400 mostly women and children have arrived in Lebanon in the past week alone.

Andrej Mahecic told reporters in Geneva on Friday that many of those who fled said they escaped heavy military bombardment of the Syrian town of Tal Kalakh.

He says a separate group of about 270 people fled to Turkey three weeks ago.