Geneva, Jun. 13, (dpa/GNA) – More people than ever before were forcibly displaced worldwide last month due to war, conflict, violence, and persecution, according to a report from the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) released on Thursday.
In May, 120 million people were displaced globally, almost 10% more than the previous year, and some 1.5% of the world’s population, the UNHCR said.
According to the agency, more than two-thirds of refugees have been internally displaced.
Two-thirds of those who have fled abroad remain in neighbouring countries, under often difficult conditions, in the hope of quickly returning to their home countries.
Last year, the United States and Germany were the top destinations for those seeking long-term protection, with Germany receiving the second highest number of asylum applications after the US.