Thousands of Rukban IDPs leave as the UN awaits Damascus approval for entry
North Press Agency
The United Nations Secretary-General spokesman Stephane Dujarric confirmed that the United Nations was doing its best to provide humanitarian assistance while awaiting the approval of the Syrian government for the access into the Rukban camp, an arid remote area in Syria near the extreme northeast of Jordan, close to the joint borders with Syria and Iraq, the area became a camp for internally displaced people in 2014.
The UN spokesman said that about 15,600 people have left the camp since last March, while the remained people have barely access to basic health care, basic food, and other humanitarian aid.
As the people leave the camp, they go to temporary collective shelters or to only 24 hours of homes residence during which they receive basic assistance.
The provided assistance includes blankets, solar lights, sleeping bags, food parcels, and nutrition supplies, to move them to an area of their choice, as the majority of them head to south-east of Homs.
During the press conference, the spokesman said the United Nations is concerned about the conditions prevailing in the camp, where about 26,000 IDPs live in poor conditions.
Moreover, the United Nations continues to call for the establishment of safe housing and the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Rukban camp without hindrance, as well as to all those in need throughout Syria.
Jordanian sources said on Monday that Jordan has refused to return relief aid to the Rukban Camp through its territories, the sources justified Jordan’s position that it had fulfilled its moral and humanitarian responsibility towards the camp’s IDPs, by delivering aid through its territory, when all roads were closed.
Furthermore, the sources added, “stability returned to Syria, and the Syrian army controls all the roads leading to the camp, which necessitates the delivery of aid through the organizations based in Damascus, and through Syrian government’s territories”.
This came after a meeting between the Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Sunday, with the United States Special Representative for Syria Engagement James Jeffrey, as he stated: “Jordan will not bear the responsibility of meeting the needs of Syrian IDPs in Rukban camp”.
While Russia announced earlier in February this year, the opening of humanitarian corridors for the exit of civilians from the Rukban Camp on the Syrian-Jordanian borders.
It’s worth noting that the camp has been besieged since June 2018, after the closure of the road to Jordan under the Russian pressure, as well as the closure of Al-Dumeir road in the eastern region of Qalamoun by the Syrian government.