6,000 refugees arrive in Jordan in five days

A Jordanian military official said on Thursday that around 6,000 Syrian refugees have crossed the border into Jordan over the past five days. The official said in a statement that the Hashemite Kingdom’s army works hard to prevent illegal infiltration which may be a threat to the state. Nevertheless, he insisted, the army coordinates with all relevant agencies and authorities to help Syrian refugees, whose numbers have increased sharply recently.

Detailed information about the refugees is being gathered to ensure the most effective distribution of humanitarian aid. Jordan is providing food, medical assistance and accommodation.

Official statistics show that the Kingdom is hosting more than 415,000 Syrian refugees, although that number is expected to rise to about 700,000 “soon”, said the spokesman.

Many refugees stay with their relatives in Jordanian cities such as Amman, Irbed and Al-Mafraq. The remainder tends to find shelter in refugee “gatherings” in Al-Zaatari and Al-Ramtha.