September 28, 2017 - 1:46 AM
AMMAN, Jordan - International aid groups say some 50,000 displaced Syrians stuck on Jordan's border live in "rapidly deteriorating" conditions after receiving only sporadic aid in a year of "frustrating negotiations" over access.
An organization for 58 non-governmental groups said Thursday that the international community and Jordan must urgently find a solution, including resettling the displaced or allowing entry to Jordan.
Jordan, which hosts 660,000 Syrian refugees, sealed its border in 2016, citing security concerns after a cross-border car bombing.
The closure several restricted aid deliveries from Jordan to the Rukban border camp in southeastern Syria. A smaller camp, Hadalat, emptied this month as residents fled fighting, many seeking shelter in overwhelmed Rukban.
Jordan INGO Forum spokesman Yannick Martin says that amid worsening conditions, "negotiations are taking longer than we all hoped for."
News from © The Associated Press, 2017