Germany to take in 10,000 more Syrian refugees

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BERLIN (AP) — Germany plans to take in another 10,000 refugees from Syria, doubling the number of Syrians it is offering to shelter from their country's bloody conflict.

The decision was announced Thursday at a meeting of officials from Germany's 16 states, which share responsibility for housing refugees.

Federal Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said Germany wanted to meet its humanitarian responsibility by taking in 20,000 Syrian refugees.

So far about 6,000 have arrived in Germany, officials say.

Germany has offered to shelter the highest number of Syrians of any European Union country. It is the bloc's most populous nation and biggest economy.