'Over 100 Syrians flee to Jordan'

Over 100 Syrians have fled to Jordan during the past week, according to human rights advocates. According to the Amman-based Arab Bridge Centre for Development and Human Rights, 150 Syrians have arrived in the northern town of Mafraq - what is believed to be the largest number of displaced Syrians since protests began in the country on March 15. The majority of the refugees, who crossed into Jordan via the Jaber border crossing, originated from Hama, which is currently under a military-imposed siege. The displaced Syrians are being sheltered by Mafraq residents and local NGOs after facing “difficult living conditions”, according to the centre’s president, Amjad Shammout. “They didn’t have food, they didn’t have water; they just grabbed what they could and came to Jordan,” Shammout told The Jordan Times. The centre and local societies are working to reach out to the families to provide social, medical and legal support as they attempt to file for refugee status with the UN Refugee Agency, he added. As the violent crackdown on protesters continue, the Kingdom may witness further waves of Syrian families making their way across the border. “If the killings and arrests continue, we will definitely see a rise in numbers,” Shammout added. International aid agencies operating in Jordan have mobilised emergency response teams should greater numbers of displaced Syrians seek refuge in the Kingdom. Earlier in May, a steady trickle of Syrians from the border city of Daraa sought refuge in Ramtha during a weeks-long crackdown on the city that left dozens dead.