As violence rages, Syrians increasingly seek asylum abroad

Today, Syrian leader Bashar al Assad said his government would respond after more than 40 people, including a Sunni preacher and supporter of the President, were killed in a bombing at a Damascus mosque Thursday. UN Secretary General Ban ki Moon announced that the UN would investigate claims of the use of chemical weapons. Both opposition forces and Assad’s regime have made those charges. The ongoing fighting continues to devastate civilians. After a visit to Aleppo, the International Red Cross called the humanitarian needs there “enormous” and a new report from the UN’s refugee agency finds that Syrians are making up an increasing number of people seeking asylum abroad. The report finds nearly half a million people, most from Afghanistan or Syria, have sought asylum in the past year. The US received the highest number of claims. UN Radio’s Dianne Penn reports.