The number of Syrian civilians who have fled their country to escape the civil war has passed 1.5 million, the U.N. refugee agency said Friday. "The Syrian conflict continues to have a devastating impact on the lives of those who are forced to flee," said Dan McNorton, a spokesman for the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, in Geneva, Switzerland. The real number of refugees is probably much higher, McNorton said. Since the start of 2013 alone, UNHCR has registered close to 1 million refugees -- which amounts to about 250,000 people each month. Along with the refugees, more than 4 million people have been internally displaced, according to U.N. General Assembly President Vuk Jeremic.
