2015 European migrant crisis
During 2015, there was a period of significantly increased movement of refugees and migrants into Europe. 1.3 million people came to the continent to request asylum, the most in a single year since World War II. They were mostly Syrians, but also included significant numbers from Afghanistan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iraq, Eritrea, and the Balkans. The increase in asylum seekers has been attributed to factors such as the escalation of various wars in the Middle East and ISIL's territorial and military dominance in the region due to the Arab Winter, as well as Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt ceasing to accept Syrian asylum seekers.
Image: LE Eithne Operation Triton
Image: 20151030 Syrians and Iraq refugees arrive at Skala Sykamias Lesvos Greece 2
Image: Manifestacio barcelona volem acollir
Image: Flashmob gegen Männergewalt, Köln 2016 4384
Refugees of the Syrian civil war
Refugees of the Syrian civil war are citizens and permanent residents of Syria who have fled the country throughout the Syrian civil war. The pre-war population of the Syrian Arab Republic was estimated at 22 million (2017), including permanent residents. Of that number, the United Nations (UN) identified 13.5 million (2016) as displaced persons, requiring humanitarian assistance. Of these, since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011 more than six million (2016) were internally displaced, and around five million (2016) had crossed into other countries, seeking asylum or placed in Syrian refugee camps worldwide. It is often described as one of the largest refugee crises in history.
Syrian Refugee camp in Turkey
Syrian refugee center on the Turkish border 80 kilometers from Aleppo, Syria (3 August 2012).
Syrian refugees in Lebanon living in cramped quarters (6 August 2012).
Zaatari refugee camp, Jordan