First batch of refugees from Syria to leave for Germany: UN

Geneva: After registering more than two million refugees from Syria in neighbouring countries, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has announced that the first group of over 100 refugees will leave Lebanon to be relocated in Germany on Wednesday. “(On) Wednesday, 107 highly vulnerable Syrian refugees are due to leave Lebanon under a temporary Humanitarian Admissions Programme that was announced by Germany in March of this year,” UNHCR spokesperson Melissa Fleming said at a press briefing Tuesday at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. The group is headed for Hanover. [caption id=“attachment_1100941” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Syrian refugees. Agencies.[/caption] “On arrival, the refugees are being transferred to an accommodation centre in Friedland in Lower Saxony where they will stay for 14 days,” where they will be offered basic language training and basic information on Germany, said Fleming. At the end of the two-week period, the refugees will leave for locations across Germany. They will be accommodated in small centres or apartments and will have full access to medical, educational and other social services. During their stay, the refugees will have the right to work. The residence permit issued for these refugees will be of for two years, with the option for extension if the situation in Syria remains unchanged, according to Fleming. Germany’s Humanitarian Assistance Programme provides for up to 5,000 places for Syrian refugees, and as such is the biggest relocation programme currently for the Syrian crisis. Fleming expressed the UN refugee agency’s hopes to see more countries offering places for Syrian refugees outside their current annual quotas and allowing for expedited processing. IANS