Saudi Arabia, Turkey To Set Up Joint Refugee Camp For Syrians
By Arab News
Saudi Arabia and Turkey is to set up a joint refugee camp on the Turkish border for Syrians.
“Turkey hosts a large number of refugees and welcomes the Kingdom’s campaign to support our Syrian brethren,” said Mubarak Al-Bakr, executive director of Saudi National Fundraising Campaign for Syrians yesterday.
According to a UN report, 66,000 Syrian refugees have fled to Turkey and are living in nine refugee camps along the border. Many others live at “Keelis” and “Hatai,” the two main camps in Jordan.
Adrian Edwards, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said those who live in the Keelis camp hail from the Izaz and Halab cities of Syria, while those in the Hatai camp are from Halab and surrounding area where fierce fighting continues.
“Last Tuesday and Wednesday more than 3,000 refugees crossed the Syrian border to reach the Turkish camps,” Edwards said.
Many international organizations are offering support to displaced Syrians within the camps. However, there is still a critical need for food, medicine and drinking water.
According to reports from Jordan, the Zaatari camp, located in the middle of the desert, has a severe shortage of water.
“We will be sending water to both Zaatari and Hadeeka camps,” said Yusuf Al-Rahmah, a Saudi campaign coordinator.
Saudi Arabia’s second convoy of 43 trucks carrying more than 700 tons of food, medicine and water reached Jordan yesterday.
Saudi officials distributed 3,000 food aid packages in the Zaatari camp. Packages containing essentials such as rice, sugar, tea, macaroni, tomato paste, cooking oil, olive oil, and juices. A children’s package containing baby food and formula, juices, toys and milk was distributed. Other essentials including health-related products such as soap, shampoo, and other cleaning products were also distributed.
In other news, Saudi Arabia committed to construct 2,500 temporary housing units in Jordan at a cost of SR 28 million.
