U.S.: 82 Syrian refugees resettled in Ohio; none in Dayton area

Since a civil war aimed at removing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power started in 2011, more than 2,000 of that country’s refugees have resettled in parts of the United States, including Ohio, according to the U.S. States Department.

None of the 82 who have landed in Ohio are in the Dayton area, officials. However, nine settled in Cincinnati, 15 in Cleveland, seven in Columbus, 47 in Toledo and four in Westerville.

In all, the United States has admitted 2,060 Syrian refugees through Oct. 31, the U.S. State Department said.

Focus on how many Syrian refugees have entered the country has been the center of debate in the wake of terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday that killed 129 people and wounded hundreds more.

Some elected officials around the country, including Gov. John Kasich, are calling on the Obama administration to halt the country’s refugee program. Others say the program should continue on humanitarian grounds as long as the refugees are thoroughly vetted.

As many as 12 million Syrians have fled their homes since the start of a civil war. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 4 million have made their way to neighboring countries, including Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. Millions more of the displaced are living in other areas of Syria.

More than 680,000 Syrians have sought asylum in Europe between April 2011 and the end of last month. As of Oct. 7, the High Commission for Refugees had submitted nearly 20,000 Syrian refugees to the United States for resettlement, according to the U.N.

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