(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Jordan has to open its borders for Syrians escaping violence in southern Syria, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights urged yesterday.
'We call on the Jordanian government to keep its border open and for other countries in the region to step up and receive the fleeing civilians, the spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Liz Throssell, said in a statement.
'Thousands of refugees are stranded, without adequate shelter, at the border with Jordan. We call on the international community, in particular countries of the region with the financial ability to host large numbers of refugee, she added.
The UN estimated yesterday that between 270,000 and 330,000 Syrians have been displaced by the ground and air offensive launched in mid-June on the province of Daraa by the Russian-backed Syrian government and its allies. Some 60,000 are now stranded at the border crossing between Syrian Nasib and Jordanian Jabir, according to the UN's Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The statement warned that the situation in Daraa is escalating amid daily attacks endangering civilians.
According to the UN spokeswoman in Amman, Khetam Malkawi, 34% of the displaced refugees are near the border with Jordan.
'There are several UN convoys waiting to enter, carrying food and medicine aid. We are waiting until the security situation stabilises inside Syrian territories, she said.
Jordan, which already hosts around 1.3mn Syrian refugees, closed its northern border in 2016 and has vowed to keep it closed since the offensive began, despite calls by non-profit groups urging Amman to allow Syrians escaping the fighting to cross the border.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi is scheduled to meet his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in Moscow to discuss a ceasefire in Daraa.
According to Syrian opposition sources, Russia offered the rebels a ceasefire deal if they give up their heavy and medium weapons.
While several sources said the demands were rejected, the spokesman for the rebels' joint operations room, Ibrahim Jabawi, said they are going back to the negotiations table and have sent back their answers through the mediators.
Meanwhile, Syria called yesterday on its citizens forced to flee the country due to the war to return to areas liberated by the Syrian army.
The government called on citizens to return 'in light of the successive achievements of the Syrian Arab Army and the liberation of many areas from terrorism, the state-run Syrian News Agency (SANA) reported, citing a Foreign Ministry source.
It promised that the government will be responsible for the security and safety of the returnees, but called on the international community and humanitarian organisations to shoulder their responsibilities 'in helping to provide the requirements for the voluntary return of Syrian citizens back to their country.
Last week, some 500 Syrian refugees returned to their homes in Syria from north-east Lebanon.
Lebanon is home to some 1mn Syrians who fled the war in their country. Last month, Lebanese authorities said they had frozen the renewal of residency permits for UN refugee agency staff amid a row about the repatriation of Syrians in the country. Caretaker Lebanese Foreign Minister Jubran Bassil ordered the freeze, after accusing the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) of discouraging Syrians from returning to the their homeland.
Lebanese officials have repeatedly said that the influx of refugees from Syria has placed a burden on Lebanon's economy.
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