More than one hundred Syrian and Iraqi refugees arrived at Rome's Fiumicino airport on Tuesday, to start a new life in Italy after escaping war in their homelands.

The refugees had been living in a camp in Lebanon's capital Beirut. They were qualified to be part of a so-called "humanitarian corridor" project organised by a Catholic charity group in Italy.

The project aims to house a thousand Syrian refugees in two years, with help of government authorities. Another 97 refugees are expected to make the journey in February next year.