Uruguay to Receive 120 Syrian Refugees

Some 120 refugees from war-torn Syria are due to begin arriving in Uruguay in the coming weeks, officials here said on Tuesday.

The director of the country's office for human rights, Javier Miranda, is in Geneva finalizing with U.N. officials the details of an arrangement that will see the first 40 Syrians arrive "in September or October," a governmental spokesman said.

"What has been agreed upon in principle, is that a total of 120 Syrians will come," presidential spokesman Homero Guerrero said.

A large number of the refugees are minors, some of whom will be accompanied by older relatives, officials here said.

Relief officials say that since the war began in Syria in March 2011, a total of 2.5 million people have fled the country, with 6.5 million more displaced within its borders.