According to Ron Redmond, spokesman for the United Nations, the improvement in security in some of the areas of Iraq might play a role. “It could be a whole combination of things,” Redmond said.
It is estimated that at least two-million Iraqis live outside of the country. Most of them had left Iraq ever since the United States-led invasion in 2005 which was almost five years ago.
“The number of people fleeing Iraq has declined considerably because of the visa restrictions that have been imposed by governments around Iraq, particularly Syria and Jordan,” Redmond explained.
“There used to be 3,000 people a day, but that’s not possible now because they require visas,” Redmond told The Associated Press. But, he was not able to say how many people were leaving the country now.
In October, Syria imposed new rules limiting visas for commercial, transport, scientific, or educational reasons. Iraqis would be required to apply for them at the Syrian embassy in the volatile Al-Mansour district in Baghdad.
Earlier, Jordan barred Iraqis.
Most of the current Iraqi refugees live in the urban areas of Syria and Jordan.
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