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Russia, Syria Urge Amman to Allow Rukban Refugees Into Jordan Territory

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Jordanian authorities refuse to allow Rukban camp refugees from the neighboring Syria to enter the territory of Jordan, the joint statement of the Russian and Syrian interdepartmental coordination staffs said Thursday, urging Amman to reconsider its position on the problem and let the refugees into the country.
Sputnik

"The Jordanian authorities, citing security issues and difficult economic situation in the country, refuse to open the border to let refugees into their territory. The refugees are left with the only way to salvation, that is the humanitarian corridor provided by the Syrian authorities," the statement said.

READ MORE: US Blocking Syrian Refugees From Leaving Rukban Camp — Russian Military

"We hope our Jordanian partners will further implement humanitarian initiatives on returning Syrian refugees and participate in resolving the Rukban camp issue, thus contribute to overall stabilization of the situation in the region, something Jordan is interested in," the statement added.

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Russia and Syria called on the United Nations to bring to the attention of the United States that the existence of such facilities as the Rukban camp is inadmissible and to contribute to the solution of the Rukban problem.

"We call on to the members of the world community… and above all to the United Nations with an appeal to take active steps to solve the [Rukban] problem that lasts for years and claims thousands of human lives, and to point out to the United States that places like the Rukban camp are inadmissible in the modern world," the joint statement of the Russian and Syrian interdepartmental coordination staffs read.

In January, the World Health Organization (WHO) described people living in the camp as "trapped," adding that they live "in deplorable conditions." Limited water supply, bitterly cold weather and poorly functioning health care facilities contribute to the rise of diseases, which include influenza, measles, tuberculosis and chronic respiratory diseases, the WHO stated.

The Rukban camp, which houses about 40,000 displaced people, is now the US-controlled zone, which is located in the southern part of Syria, not far from Jordan.

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