Some 120 Syria civil society organizations called upon the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock to ratchet up pressure on the Assad regime and Iranian militias to end the blockade they are imposing on tens of thousands of people currently stranded in Al-Rukban refugee camp near the Syrian-Jordanian border.
In a joint statement on Monday, the NGOs said that “residents of Al-Rukban camp are enduring harsh living conditions as a result of the blockade that has been tightened since June following the restriction of access to Jordan and the Assad regime’s cutting off of the Dumair road.
The statement pointed out that the blockade “resulted in the cutting off of humanitarian assistance and severe shortages of food and medical supplies in the camp which is located in an arid desert area lacking any semblance of life. At least 14 people, mostly women, died in the camp in September.”
The NGOs pointed out that the lack of treatment has resulted in thousands of disabilities amongst residents of the camp, including 1,460 cases among women, 1,621 among men, and 4,273 among children.
The statement called upon the United Nations to shoulder their humanitarian responsibilities with regards to the urgent evacuation of the critically ill and injured to Jordan for treatment. It also called for the urgent delivery of humanitarian assistance to the camp.
Residents of the camp are suffering severe shortages of food and medical supplies, with many refugees requiring urgent surgeries, especially for giving births. The camp has been under tight blockade by the Assad forces and their allies since June. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
