'110 000 Iraqis head home'
2007-12-05 22:43
Baghdad - Nearly 110 000 Iraqis displaced within the country returned to their homes in October, according to figures released on Wednesday by the Iraqi Red Crescent.
The Red Crescent figures show the number of internally displaced Iraqis falling to 2.19 million from 2.3 million.
Iraqis have been returning to their homes from refuges they sought within the country and from abroad as violence in the country has fallen over the last few months.
Iraqi government figures showed there were 538 civilians killed in the country in November, a sharp fall from monthly tolls of nearly 2 000 at the beginning of this year.
About 2 million Iraqis are believed to have fled to neighbouring countries, most to Syria and Jordan. The United Nations estimates about 1 000 more Iraqis are returning from Syria each day than leaving.
But the UN refugee agency UNHCR has also said it does not believe Iraq is safe enough to recommend a mass return.
- Reuters