Ewan McGregor travelled to northern Iraq last week in his role as Unicef Ambassador and has said that more must be done to “protect the extraordinary number of children who have been torn from their homes by violent conflict”.

The actor met with families at the Debaga camp in a bid to discover how the conflicts involving both Iraq and Syria have affected the lives of children who have been forced to uproot their lives.

The trip also saw the father-of-four, 45, spending time with displaced Iraqi families and Syrian refugees who are now living in camps in the nearby Erbil area.

Ewan McGregor, Unicef AmbassadorUnicef Ambassador Ewan McGregor walks through a section of the Debaga IDP camp in northern Iraq (UNICEF/Iraq/Modola16/PA Images)

The ongoing unrest in Iraq and Syria has left tens of thousands of children separated from their families, forced into work at a young age, recruited into fighting or killed.

During his excursion, Ewan saw how Unicef is helping those fleeing IS-held city Mosul by giving them supplies of water and food as well as access to healthcare and child protection services.

He said that “the world is facing an unprecedented refugee crisis” as he urged for more to be done to address the widespread issue.

The Trainspotting star said: “Children uprooted by conflict can find themselves alone, without family and in grave danger.

Unicef Ambassador Ewan McGregor walks with Myrna, 10, inside an abandoned mall that her and her family used to live in, Erbil, northern IraqUnicef Ambassador Ewan McGregor walks with Mirna, 10, inside an abandoned mall that she and her family used to live in, Erbil, northern Iraq (UNICEF/Iraq/Modola16/PA Images)

“No child should be alone. Many of the children I’ve met in Iraq have been forced to flee their homes, risking their lives on dangerous journeys and have been exposed to unimaginable horrors.”

He added: “One girl I met called Mirna told me how her family slept in a disused, half-constructed shopping mall for over a year.

“The community donated food, clothes and supplies to her family and really came together to welcome displaced people.”

The Scottish actor said that “this act of humanity should be replicated everywhere, especially on our own doorsteps”.

“It’s up to us to tell our friends, our neighbours and our governments that refugees are welcome.”

Ewan McGregor in northern IraqEwan McGregor unloads Unicef funded aid products from a truck at the Debaga IDP camp in northern Iraq (UNICEF/Iraq/Modola16/PA Images)

Ewan has been a Unicef Ambassador since 2004 and has visited countries including Peru, India, Nepal and the Congo with the charity.

Around 3.6 million children in Iraq are at risk of being abducted and recruited into armed groups, and face the constant threats of death, injury and sexual violence.

September will see world leaders come together to discuss the global refugee crisis, and Unicef is keen for a resolution to bring more help and protection to children forced to flee their homes.

Unicef UK is also calling on the UK Government to take urgent action to reunite unaccompanied refugee children with their families.