Syrian Refugees Compare Conditions In Rukban Camp With Temporary Center In Homs

About 14,000 refugees from the Rukban camp in Syria have undergone rehabilitation in the city of Homs, Ahmed Salim, head of the center for the temporary settlement of refugees, told reporters

HOMS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st July, 2019) About 14,000 refugees from the Rukban camp in Syria have undergone rehabilitation in the city of Homs, Ahmed Salim, head of the center for the temporary settlement of refugees, told reporters.

"We have five such centers here in Homs. In total, 14,000 people, who fled from Rukban, passed through them. This is some kind of a rehabilitation center for them. Most of them are now at home, there are only 346 people left, but we are waiting for new refugees from Rukban," Salim said.

The refugees noted that the living conditions in the temporary accommodation centers were very different from those in the Rukban camp.

"In the camp, we could not get any medical care at all. They say there was a medical center, but I never saw it, although I lived in Rukban for two years," Adnansh Hale, a resident of the temporary accommodation center, told Sputnik.

According to the refugees, the militants who ran the camp increased the prices of vitally important products, including bread, and in order to get some water, people had to stand in a long line.

"I understand that I am also in a refugee camp here. I will not get home soon, but, believe me, I can really make that comparison though. Here doctors keep an eye on me; I have food, water; at least, I can wash up properly; and in Rukban it was hell," a refugee named Asim Khloi added.

Red Cross volunteers work with young children in temporary centers.

"These children had nothing in Rukban, neither school nor kindergarten. There were no ordinary children's joys, but here we are showing them what a normal life looks like. Here they started smiling again. They enjoy everything here, even improvised music lessons," a refugee, Muntaha Ali Khaled, said.