UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th November, 2020) The United Nations remains without access to the 12,000 people sheltered in Rukban refugee camp, UN Assistant-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Relief Coordinator Ramesh Rajasingham said in a Security Council meeting on Wednesday.
"Turning to Rukban, an inter-agency mission visited the Al Waha transit center early this month as part of ongoing efforts to facilitate departures for those wishing to leave. Meanwhile, the UN remains without access to the 12,000 people at Rukban," Rajasingham said.
He stated that while efforts continue to facilitate voluntary departures of refugees, humanitarian assistance must be allowed to get through.
The Rukban camp was set up on the Syrian-Jordanian border in 2014, after Amman shut the border due to security concerns. The camp lies within the US-controlled zone around the At Tanf military base, with militants operating in adjacent areas. All this makes it hard for humanitarian workers to access the facility.
Last year, the Russian reconciliation center and the Syrian government helped evacuate over 19,000 refugees of those wishing to leave Rukban.
