ICRC continues assistance to Syrian refugees, host communities

AMMAN — As the Syrian conflict reaches its sixth year, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Jordan on Tuesday issued an update of its quarterly operations.

In the first quarter of 2017, the ICRC, together with the Jordan Red Crescent Society (JRCS), has delivered food and hygienic items to 18,000 Syrians and Jordanians residing in five southern governorates, a statement from the agency said. 

In Mafraq and Madaba governorates, it provided monthly cash assistance to 9,785 Syrian refugees to help them cover daily expenses.

Meanwhile, the ICRC has been working with the Ministry of Water and Irrigation and the Yarmouk Water Company to identify water systems in need of rehabilitation in Mafraq and Irbid governorates. 

The border with Syria was sealed in June 2016, after a car bomb attack on a forward military post near Rakban camp killed seven soldiers and injured 13. 

Since the border closure, over 350 people in transit from Rakban or Hadalat had been stranded in the Ruwayshid transit site. The ICRC has provided them with food and non-food assistance, the statement added. 

Regarding emergency aid, the ICRC, in cooperation with the JRCS, provided food and hygienic parcels to 15,600 Syrian refugees and 2,360 Jordanians residing in the governorates of Madaba, Karak, Tafileh, Maan and Aqaba. 

The agency also distributed 60,000 ready-to-eat meals, hygienic items, winter clothes and shoes to people stranded in the Ruwayshid transit site. 

The ICRC further provided 9,785 Syrian refugees, mostly female-headed households, living in Mafraq and Madaba governorates with monthly cash assistance.

As for water and sanitation, the international committee completed the rehabilitation of pumping stations in Irbid Governorate, benefiting over 100,000 Jordanians and Syrians.

Concerning healthcare, 490 Syrian refugees/asylum seekers were offered medical screening and 137 Syrians provided primary healthcare at the ICRC clinic in Raba’a Al Sarhan Registration Centre in Mafraq.

In the Ruwayshid transit site, the ICRC provided 1,280 medical consultations, and facilitated the transfer of 109 medical cases to the Ruwayshid hospital for urgent medical follow up. 

The agency also organised five first aid training courses for 140 JRCS volunteers in the governorates of Mafraq, Madaba, Irbid, Karak and Amman.

With the aim of restoring contact among family members, the ICRC provided 3,400 free-of-charge phone calls to Syrian refugees in Zaatari and Azraq camps.

In addition, the ICRC has provided support to the Learning and Development delegation as well as the regional logistical support teams in Amman, Syria, Lebanon, Libya and Yemen, according to the statement.