Jordan has not witnessed any flow for Iraqi refugees
Jordan-Iraq, Politics, 3/27/2003

So far, no Iraqi refugee has arrived in Jordan, one week after the beginning of the aggression against Iraq. However, humanitarian organizations are still preparing to receive and accommodate thousands of them.

The expected flow of the refugees has not happened yet, however, officials at the UNHCR did not basically expect an immediate flow for the Iraqi refugees. In 1991, some 1.8 million Iraqi refugees escaped following the beginning of the military operations.

The first refugees from Iraqi are not of the Iraqi nationality, rather of other nationalities and they are presumed to just cross Jordan returning back to their home countries.

On Wednesday morning under cold and the sandy storm which hit the area, less than 200 of those comers showed up at the Jordanian Red Crescent stationed near al-Rweishad town, 60 kilometers of the border. Half of those people want to stay in Jordan and not to return back to their home countries which are witnessing armed conflicts like in Sudan and Somalia.

This camp had received 595 persons with most of them Sudanese, Somalis and Egyptians who escaped from Iraq and resorted to the crossing camp. Among those for the first time on Monday are Arabs carrying Iraqi nationalities permitted to enter Jordan following five hours waiting.

To the contrary, an opposite crossing took place this week from Jordan to Iraq through the borders which are still open.

The official at the UNHCR in Jordan said that so far no Iraqi refugee has come to Jordan.

The road from Baghdad to the west is still unsafe. According to trucks drivers it is possible to see the crash of burnt busses along the sides of the roads which extends to 500 KM from Baghdad to the Jordanian borders.

Despite the hard climatic conditions, the UNHCR and the Palestinian red Crescent continue their works.

In a first phase the UNHCR is able to accommodate 10,000 refugees. some 400 tents were installed. SANA.

Previous Stories:
  Jordan denies a visit by an American delegation for mediation to halt the war in Iraq   (3/26/2003)
  Iraqi oil tanks to Jordan suspended   (3/25/2003)
  After they were expelled by Jordanian authorities, four Iraqi diplomats, families arrived in Syria   (3/24/2003)

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