Russia, Syria urge world community to open its eyes to real situation at Rukban camp

 Rukban

MOSCOW, March 10. /TASS/. Russia and Syria are calling on the world community to realize the truth about the situation at the Rukban refugee camp, the heads of the Russian and Syrian inter-agency coordination headquarters, Mikhail Mizintsev and Hussein Makhlouf, said in a joint statement.

"Based on the principles of humanism, confirmed by certain actions rather than words, once again we are calling on the international community to open its eyes to the real situation at the Rukban camp, and not to fall for US pledges on taking care about Syrians, but to trust only facts and real actions," the statement said.

According to the Russian and Syrian representatives, the refugees at the Rukban camp are facing poor sanitary conditions, diseases, cold and hunger.

Russia and Syria have repeatedly complained about Washington’s hypocrisy, which is declaring its commitment to the generally recognized humanitarian values, but is taking no steps to fulfill it.

Rukban camp

The Rukban refugee camp emerged on the Syrian-Jordanian border in 2014 after Amman closed its border due to security and economic concerns. The area, which is controlled by illegal armed groups, is facing a severe humanitarian crisis.

On March 5, the Russian Defense Ministry said that a cemetery with 300 fresh graves had been found near the camp. According to the ministry, the camp has lost its status to have been turned into a "reservation where hostages are held by force." The Russian Defense Ministry said most of the shelters in the camp were unlivable in wintertime, the sanitary conditions were appalling and food and other goods could be purchased only at improvised outdoor bazaars controlled by the militants.