U.N.: 4 million Iraq refugees are ignored

GENEVA, Switzerland, April 17 (UPI) -- The United Nations' top refugee official in Switzerland said 4 million Iraqi refugees are being "abandoned" by the international community.

Speaking to representatives from more than 60 countries, Antonio Guterres, chief of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees agency, said as many as 50,000 Iraqis are fleeing the violence in their country every month.

"There is not enough attention on the fact that 4 million people have been displaced and they live in very, very difficult circumstances, some of them, both inside Iraq and outside Iraq, said Guterres. "And the expression of international solidarity is absolutely crucial because, until now, let's be honest, they have been basically abandoned by us all."

UNHCR estimates there are another 1.9 million Iraqis displaced within the country, the BBC reported.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch issued a statement claiming Jordan and Egypt have all but closed their doors to Iraqi refugees and Syria is shutting out Palestinians trying to flee Iraq.