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A10 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 31 OctOber 2018

Thousands of Syrians stuck in the desert risk starvation

By HIBA DLEWATI arrive Thursday as prom-
Associated Press ised, and has been indefi-
BEIRUT (AP) — Tens of thou- nitely delayed.
sands of Syrians stranded The U.N. humanitarian co-
in a desert camp near the ordinator in Syria, Ali Al-
Jordanian border are at risk Za'tari, said the aid was de-
of starvation amid dwin- layed "based on available
dling supplies and the ap- information of a real secu-
proach of winter, while re- rity threat against the con-
gional powers trade blame voy." In a statement Tues-
over who is responsible for day, he said discussions
this latest humanitarian ca- were ongoing to find a way
tastrophe in Syria's civil war. to deliver the assistance
Desperately needed aid while ensuring the safety of
deliveries to the besieged humanitarian workers.
Rukban camp have re- Meanwhile, the camp's
peatedly failed or been residents are running out
postponed, including a of food and medicine, the
U.N. convoy which was majority surviving off one
supposed to go in on Thurs- small meal a day, said
day but has now been in- Abdul-Fattah al-Khaled,
definitely delayed. the director of a school in
The camp is home to Rukban. Local merchants
around 45,000 people, have hiked up the cost of
many of them women and In this Sept. 10, 2015 file photo, Syrian refugees covered in dust arrive at the Trabeel border after supplies.
children, who are camped crossing into Jordanian territory from Syria, near Ruwaished, Jordan. "There is no one organiz-
out in the open desert. Associated Press ing, observing or holding
At least four people have anyone accountable in
died in the past month, due situation sharply deterio- denied such allegations. responsibility of the Syrian the camp," said al-Khaled.
to malnutrition and lack of rated after the Syrian gov- "Any talk of the coalition government and the U.N. "Our biggest problem is
medical care. ernment blocked supply holding up the process is and the international com- that we are not registered
Sand storms and heavy routes last month following simply misinformation and munity," Jordanian Foreign with the U.N. as a refugee
rains in recent weeks have a botched reconciliation others deflecting off them- Minister Ayman Safadi said camp and are instead just
left Rukban's tattered tents deal with rebel groups in selves," U.S. military spokes- on Saturday. "We are not labeled as 'stuck on the
and clay houses in even the area, according to the man Col. Sean Ryan said in going to own Rukban." border.'" Rukban's residents
worse shape. Imad Ghali, a Britain-based Syrian Obser- an email. He added, however, that staged a five-day sit-in ear-
camp resident, said this isn't vatory for Human Rights. On Saturday, the White Jordan will continue to pro- lier this month after a series
the first time Rukban has Russia, a close ally of the House envoy to the coali- vide water to Rukban and of deaths in September due
been promised aid and not Syrian government, has tion, Brett McGurk, said the access to a Jordanian clin- to malnutrition and lack of
received it. blamed the U.S. for the de- Syrian government and ic for those in need. medical care. Among the
"It's like telling someone dy- terioration of the situation Russia are using Rukban as "The camp's location has dead were a 5-day-old
ing of thirst to wait for the in Rukban, which is within a an excuse to question the pushed the warring sides boy and a 4-month-old girl.
rain," said Ghali. "How long 55 square kilometer (20 sq. U.S. presence in the area. to use it as a way to pres- A handful of nurses run a
are we going to wait?" mile) "deconfliction zone" "The question is for the re- sure each other, while si- few poorly equipped clin-
People started gathering set up by U.S. forces in the gime and Russians. Do they multaneously neglecting ics in the camp, al-Khaled
in Rukban three years ago, nearby Tanf military base. really want to help these the camp," said Rami Ab- said, and a medical center
fleeing Islamic State mili- "The inability of the US side people or use them as dulrahman, who heads the supported by the U.N. chil-
tants and airstrikes by the to live up to its commitment something to come after Observatory. dren's agency across the
U.S.-led coalition, Russia to provide security in the us?" he asked, after stress- Conditions will only worsen border takes urgent, life-
and Syria. Jordan sealed its 55-kilometer area around ing the U.S. was going to as the winter approaches, threatening cases.
border and stopped regu- its base in Tanf stopped stay in the Tanf base. He the U.N. children's agency Earlier this month, a young
lar aid deliveries in 2016 af- the convoy from going," Lt. spoke at a security confer- warned earlier this month. woman died from anemia
ter a cross-border IS attack Gen. Vladimir Savchenko ence in Bahrain last week. The Syrian government au- and chronic acute diar-
that killed seven Jordanian said last week, adding that Jordan, which at one point thorized the U.N. to deliver rhea. Rukban's bare-bones
soldiers. the area around Tanf has used cranes to drop aid for aid to Rukban two weeks medical center was un-
The last aid delivery from "a large number of armed Syrians struck in Rukban, ago, which would have able to treat Bassma Zaar-
Jordan was in January, and uncontrolled militants said it will not shoulder re- been the first U.N. delivery our, and asked for her to
leaving the camp's resi- who can stage any man- sponsibility for this latest to the camp made through be sent to a Jordanian
dents dependent on goods ner of provocation" and episode. Syria. However, the joint hospital, but she died al-
largely smuggled from gov- endanger aid workers. "Rukban is Syrian people on U.N. and Syrian Arab Red most immediately after her
ernment-held areas. The The U.S.-led coalition has Syrian territory, so it is the Crescent convoy did not appointment.q