The number of asylum applications in Switzerland by individuals from Sri Lanka has increased by 87% in 2014, compared to the previous year.
A total of 1,277 refugees from Sri Lanka, the vast majority of whom are thought to be Tamils, made claims for asylum, making them the third-largest group of asylum seekers, after Eritreans and Syrians.
The number of total asylum requests in Switzerland rose by 11% to 23,765, the highest rate in over a decade, as conflicts in the Middle East and Africa intensified.