Syrian opposition group evacuates Hadalat refugee camp as prelude to withdraw to Jordan

Syrian pro-opposition Martyr Ahmad Al-Abdo forces announced yesterday that it will evacuate the Hadalat refugee camp near the northeastern border of Jordan and transfer its residents to Rukban camp also on the Syrian-Jordanian border.

In an exclusive interview to Anadolu news agency, the faction’s spokesman, Saeid Saif, said yesterday that a leaked message from the Military Operations Centre (MOC) and the reassurances received from the Pentagon indicate that the Rukban refugee camp area is demilitarised and protected.

Saif said his group will evacuate Hadalat refugee camp after ensuring that the refugees have arrived to the Rukban camp and are provided with assistance.

“We have held many meetings and we are ready to withdraw to an unknown destination although we have no choice but to go to Jordan,” he added, without specifying the nature of the meetings or with whom they took place.

Read: Commander of Syrian regime killed in Deir Ez-Zor

“We have evacuated 5,000 refugees from the camp and transferring them takes time,” he said, adding that the group “faces difficulty in transporting the refugees as many areas continue to witness clashes but 70 per cent of the camp has been evacuated”.

He explained that the Syrian regime controls 130-140 km of the border area with Jordan.