UNHCR report reveals: Number of refugees hits five-year high

More than 68 million people were forced to flee their homes last year as a result of war, violence and other forms of persecution, according to a new report from the UN’s refugee agency.

More than 68 million people were forced to flee their homes last year as a result of war, violence and other forms of persecution, according to a new report from the UN’s refugee agency.

The number of displaced people hit a record high — up from 65.6 million in 2016 — according to the annual UNHCR Global Trends report published Tuesday.

The UNHCR noted that the Syrian war had once again played a role in driving up the figures across the globe. But it also noted that substantial growth had come from new displacement in other developing countries — such as in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan and Myanmar.

To illustrate the mammoth number of people on the move, the UNHCR said the latest trends suggested that on average last year, a person became displaced every two seconds.

One in every 110 people on the planet is a refugee, is internally displaced or is seeking asylum, the report states.