Refugees in Rakban urge international community to act as harsher times loom

AMMAN — A severe shortage of food and medicine has provoked an outcry from Syrian refugees stranded in the no-man’s-land across the Jordanian border.

Thousands of women, men and children are calling again on the international community to provide them with essential food and help them prepare for the winter.

Members of the Tribal Council of Palmyra and Badia, a Syrian rebel group, are in charge of running the Rakban camp’s daily affairs. A council member told The Jordan Times they have run out of the food assistance they received early August, while the health situation of many women and children was getting worse due to lack of medical care and medicines.

Jordan agreed with international relief agencies last month to allow assistance delivery through the berm for one time, while global stakeholders were supposed to come up with other ideas to carry on with the mission. 

The population of the camp is estimated at 70,000 at least, many of whom come from the eastern and northeastern areas under the control of Daesh.

“We are in a dire need for support now,” Ali Abdullah, a member of the council told The Jordan Times over the phone, stressing that medical aid is urgent.

The activist said that some people sell food coming from Syria, but the prices are unaffordable. “Bread and infants milk are the most urgent food items needed here.”

According to Abdullah, there are concerns of viral outbreaks in the camp, especially amidst absence of vaccines for children.

Already there have been fatalities among children and these cases are documented, he said.

“We need to know what is next and how we will receive food and medical aid,” Abdullah said, stressing that the situation will be more “miserable” with the approach of the cold season.

“Winter is coming… we call on the world to help provide families with tents and warm clothes, especially for children.”

Human Rights Watch on Wednesday urged Jordan to re-allow the delivery of relief aid into the no-man’s land, one day after an official source in Amman said the Jordanian border would no longer be used as a conduit to deliver aid to stranded Syrian refugees.

The relief items would be delivered from inside Syria, the source said, declining to give further details on the operation.

Jordan declared the northern and northeastern border areas an off-limit military zone in June, in the aftermath of a terrorist attack in late June that targeted a military post serving refugees near the border, killing seven troops and injuring 13 others.