国际英语新闻:Much-needed aid reach 50,000 Syrians in refugee camp on Syrian-Jordanian border

DAMASCUS, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- For the first time in a long time, an aid convoy reached the Rukban refugee camp on the Syrian-Jordanian border on Saturday, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) said in a statement.

The aid, which was delivered by both the SARC and the UN, reached the camp where 50,000 Syrians live in "tough humanitarian conditions," said the SARC statement.

Humanitarian workers took one month to prepare the shipment, which constitutes of 78 truckloads of aid including wheat bags, children clothes, medical supplements for women and children as well as cleaning kits.

The aid, which was delayed from last week, was accompanied by 107 humanitarian workers from SARC and a team specialized in vaccinations.

Chief of SARC Khaled Hboubati said that delivery of the aid came after obtaining assurances and guarantees from all sides as well as the Syrian government offered facilitations.

He said that the step is positive toward delivering more food parcels and nonfood items to the camp to alleviate the suffering of the Syrians and meet their humanitarian needs.

UN Resident Humanitarian Coordinator Ali Al-Za'tari said on Saturday that aid delivery is emergent, which includes food and water.

He said that a vaccination campaign will target 10,000 children to shield them from life-threatening diseases as well as measles and polio.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the aid shipment is the first to reach the camp since April 2017 as afterward roads were cut off to the camp.

The aid convoy reached the camp under the protection of Russia, according to the Britain-based watchdog.

The Observatory added that floods washed away a lot of tents in the camp amidst the tragic situation suffered by the camp residents.

The camp is largely inhabited by Syrians who fled their areas in the eastern countryside of Homs province in central Syria as it is located in the remote southeastern countryside of Homs province near Jordan.

The Observatory placed the number of refugees in the camp at 60,000 civilians and rebel fighters.

The fighters belong to six rebel factions of those who rejected to reconcile with the government and sought refuge in this area in September 2015 when the Syrian government forces advanced to their original location in the eastern countryside of Homs.

The Observatory accused the Syrian government of cutting the supply route to the camp, which is run by the rebels.

But the state news agency SANA charged that the U.S. forces in the Tanf area where the camp is located hindered the delivery of aid in the past.

SANA said that the U.S. forces recruited young men in the camp in exchange for money.

The state news agency stressed that the Syrian government is working to provide necessary facilitations for the delivery of aid item to all Syrian areas without exceptions.