Jordan closes borders after suicide attack kills six
June 22, 2016
Amman has said its frontiers with Iraq and Syria are now restricted military zones. The decision follows a suicide attack in which a driver drove a truckload of explosives through a gap in the border.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J. Nasrallah
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Jordan closed its borders with Iraq and Syria late Tuesday, cutting off its last open gate to Syrian refugees in the wake of a suicide bombing that killed six soldiers. The move has raised humanitarian concerns about the tens of thousands stranded in the desert and dependent on deliveries of food and water from Jordan, but Amman said its citizens' safety is the first priority.
"The border will be closed," government spokesman Mohammed Momani told the press. "We will not allow the crossing of people or vehicles through that area."
King Abdullah II said in a statement that Jordan will "respond with an iron fist" to anyone threatening its security.
Tuesday's attack near the Ruqban border camp is the third such incident at Jordanian security facilities in seven months. Together with those in the nearby Hadalat camp, some 64,000 displaced Syrians live along the border, dependent on Jordanian aid. The kingdom hosts some 655,000 refugees from the conflict, but has restricted access for new arrivals, citing the need for full background checks.
An assailant drove a truck loaded with explosives through an opening at the border, killing the driver, six soldiers, and wounding 14 others at an army post.
While no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, Momani said "Islamic State" (IS) extremists had been mixing with refugees at the two camps, creating a major security threat.
The government spokesman added that the Jordanian military was in talks with the UN refugee agency to discuss how they could continue delivering much-needed aid to those stranded at the border.
es/kms (AP, Reuters)
Hospital of hope
Doctors Without Borders' (MSF) hospital for reconstructive surgery in Amman is the final hope for many of those injured in conflicts in the Middle East. Tania krämer reports from Jordan.
Image: DW/T. Kraemer
Hospital for victims of war
Patients with injuries from wars and conflicts in the Gaza Strip, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and other Arab countries are treated at the Hospital for Reconstructive Surgery in Amman, Jordan, which the international medical group Doctors without Borders opened in 2006. Treatment is free of charge for patients.
Image: DW/T. Kraemer
Safe house
Jordan has become a safe house for victims of war, fleeing conflict from neighboring countries. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has registered over 630,000 refugees from Syria alone. The patients usually stay in Jordan for several months.
Image: DW/T. Kraemer
Hard heart
Plastic surgeon Mukhalad Saud examines the hands of an Iraqi man who was maimed when a car exploded on the street. "Every patient here has a different story," says the doctor, who also comes from Iraq, adding that has to keep his emotions separate from his work. "In the OP room as a surgeon I need to have a hard heart and a sharp knife."
Image: DW/T. Kraemer
Pre-OP attention
Before surgery Dr. Saud speaks with a patient from Yemen who has severe burns on his upper body. The burn scars make it hard for him to move his arms. Over 3,600 patients have been treated in the hospital over the past 10 years, according to MSF.
Image: DW/T. Kraemer
Complicated injuries
The surgeons are all specialized in highly complex injuries and long-term complications resulting from war injuries, such as orthopedic surgery, plastic surgery and facial reconstruction. The hospital treats so-called "cold cases": patients with injuries that can't be treated in their home countries. They end up being referred to this hospital.
Image: DW/T. Kraemer
Post-surgery support
It can take months until a patient is able to walk after severe injuries and amputations. The hospital provides physiotherapy and psychological follow-up. "The doctors take care of the physical injuries, and we support the patient who needs to learn how to cope with the new situation," says physiotherapist Sajdi Mouala. Therapists, specialists and doctors all work closely together.
Image: DW/T. Kraemer
Step by step
Mouayad has undergone three surgeries so far and is learning how to walk with his prosthetic leg. "I don't think too much about my future," says the 26-year-old Syrian. "At the moment I try to focus on just being able to walk and take it step by step." He came to the hospital seven months ago.
Image: DW/T. Kraemer
Deep wounds
The hospital also offers psychological help. Many patients have been traumatized by war. Therapist Talha Al Ali takes care of the youngest patients. "Every child copes differently. Some are hyperactive, others have nightmares, other are just very disturbed and ask a lot of questions," he says.
