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Jordan blocks 50,000 Syrian refugees near border

Jordan cites security concerns as it blocks thousands of Syrian refugees at its border and leaves them stranded in the rocky desert.
Syrian refugees stuck between the Jordanian and Syrian borders, wait to cross into Jordan after a group of them crossed into Jordanian territory, near the town of Ruwaished, at the Hadalat area, east of the capital Amman, January 14, 2016. After months of being stranded at the border, a group of Syrian refugees has finally been allowed to enter Jordan. Jordanian authorities say they have to address  security concerns before allowing more refugees into the country burdened with over 1.4 million refugees, sai

AMMAN, Jordan — Amman is stranding approximately 50,000 Syrian refugees near the country’s border with Syria, according to multiple UN officials who provided this exclusive information to Al-Monitor. The number of trapped Syrians in Ruqban and Hadalat is nearly double what has been previously reported to be around 26,000 on Feb. 29. Al-Monitor has obtained confidential documents by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which show that 53% of the Syrians who have been blocked in this isolated desert are minors.

Al-Monitor has requested since Jan. 24 to visit the “Berm,” the name used by international aid officials to describe this area. The Jordanian military has refused to provide access and allow Al-Monitor to speak with the trapped Syrian refugees.

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