Jordan blocks entry of 50 Syrians

Witnesses have reported that Jordanian authorities blocked scores of Syrian refugees from entering the country on Sunday. “After their arrival to Queen Alia International Airport, around 50 Syrians were blocked from entering without any explanation,” a witness told the Al Arabiya news network. “The Jordanian authorities granted some of the travellers return tickets,” he added, pointing out that earlier this month a number of Syrians were forced to return to Damascus after reaching Jordan, while the Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Jouda commented by saying that they were denied entrance to the country “due to security reasons.” More than 15,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Syria since the outbreak of the revolt against the Assad rule in March 2011, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The United Nations put the figure at 10,000 people.