Displaced Syrians are seen upon reaching the Jlaighem crossing in the eastern countryside of Homs Province in central Syria, on April 10, 2019. Tens of civilians reached a crossing point in the Syrian desert on Wednesday from the rebel-held Rukban refugee camp in southeastern Syria. The Rukban camp is home to 50,000 displaced Syrians, who are suffering from the harsh humanitarian situation because of the cold weather and lack of supplies. (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani)
DAMASCUS, April 10 (Xinhua) -- Tens of civilians reached a crossing point in the Syrian desert on Wednesday coming from the rebel-held Rukban refugee camp in southeastern Syria.
The evacuees from the camp reached the Jlaighem crossing in the eastern countryside of Homs Province in central Syria after leaving Rukban camp near the U.S.-controlled al-Tanf area in the remote southeastern countryside of Homs.
The people expressed relief while reaching safety and spoke of the tough situation in the camp.
Salem, a 70-year-old displaced man, told Xinhua that the situation back in Rukban was "horrible."
"Our situation was horrible. We didn't have wheat so we didn't have bread. We also didn't have water. We were hungry, sick and cold. I wish everyone in Rukban could come here to return to our lives. This is our land. I say to the people there, come here, come here to live in peace," he said.
Majed, another 50-year-old displaced man, told Xinhua that everything is expensive in that rebel-held camp.
"Life back there in the camp was very tough but being with loved ones was the only thing that made us endure the hardships. Everything there is so expensive. The sugar and salt were sold at very high prices," he said.
On Sunday, the second batch of civilians left the notorious camp.
On April 2, the first batch of civilians left Rukban with dozens of people reaching government-controlled areas in Homs.
The Syrian government has repeatedly accused the U.S. forces in al-Tanf of preventing aid convoys from reaching the Rukban camp, which is controlled by the rebels near the Syrian-Jordanian border.
On Feb. 19, the Syrian government opened two humanitarian corridors near al-Tanf for the evacuation of people from Rukban.
The Rukban camp is home to 50,000 displaced Syrians, who are suffering from the harsh humanitarian situation because of the cold weather and lack of supplies.
