For immediate release
London, UK – September 22, 2023
Recent data from Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) coupled with records from Care4Calais shed light on the acute dangers that many asylum seekers coming to the UK face in their homelands. Most of these individuals hail from countries severely impacted by explosive violence, driving home the urgency of their plight.
The majority of those seeking refuge, and subsequently receiving support from Care4Calais, come from nations such as Yemen, Ethiopia, Senegal, Iran, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Syria, Turkey, Somalia, and Kuwait. Notably, many of these countries feature prominently in AOAV’s list of nations most affected by explosive violence in 2022.
The AOAV data from 2022, a charity that runs a global monitor on explosive violence as reported in English language media, underscores:
• Syria: 652 incidents of explosive violence, 1,304 resulting civilian casualties
• Yemen: 157 incidents, 872 civilian casualties
• Afghanistan: 90 incidents, 1,314 civilian casualties
• Somalia: 95 incidents, 1,224 civilian casualties
• Nigeria: 66 incidents, 300 civilian casualties
• Ethiopia: 33 incidents, 1,138 civilian casualties
Though explosive violence represents just one dimension of the dangers, these figures drive home the perilous realities many asylum seekers are fleeing. While nations such as Iran and Kuwait are not on AOAV’s top ten for explosive violence in 2022, we must remember that reasons for seeking asylum can be diverse, encompassing political persecution, religious discrimination, and more.
Former Col Steve Smith MBE, CEO of Care4Calais, remarked, “Understanding the severity of what these individuals are escaping from is paramount. Their journey is less about choice and more about the sheer will to survive. We are deeply grateful to every UK individual and entity that offers sanctuary.”
The global community is called upon to grasp the profound challenges that asylum seekers face and to bolster support for humanitarian organizations like Care4Calais, instrumental in aiding these at-risk individuals.
About Care4Calais: Care4Calais is a largely volunteer-run charity focused on delivering essential aid and support to refugees in UK Northern France and other critical areas. Their principal mission is to ensure refugees feel safe, warm, and dignified.
Press Contact:
Dr Iain Overton
ioverton@aoav.org.uk
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