Rights group accuses Jordan of abandoning Syrian refugees

Since March, “Jordanian authorities have severely restricted” the movement of refugees fleeing the war in Syria, the human rights group said in a statement.

HRW said it had analyzed satellite images and gathered testimony from refugees that indicated a build-up of refugees just inside Jordanian territory after informal border crossings were closed.

Currently, two informal crossings into sparsely populated eastern Jordan — where the refugees are stranded — are the only entry points for most Syrians.  

About 2,500 Syrians were stuck in the remote area in mid-April. The number of stranded Syrians dropped to 1,000 in late May after Jordan allowed some to move out of the border zone, the report said.

HRW regional director Nadim Houry said that while Jordan has gone to great lengths to assist refugees, there is “no excuse to abandon newer arrivals in remote areas for weeks without effective protection and regular aid access.”

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