Damascus residents flee as war encroaches

Thousands head to border after city loses relative tranquility

People in the Syrian capital, Damascus, had been mostly insulated from the civil war that has consumed whole cities and left more than 100,000 people dead — but no longer.

Residents of Damascus are fleeing the city, as well as other areas, for the nation’s borders as the U. S. and its Western allies prepare possible military strikes over alleged chemical weapons attacks by the regime of Bashar Assad.

Many are Shiite Muslims and Alawites who have supported Assad as he seeks to crush a rebellion of largely Sunni Muslims who want to topple his dictatorship.

“In some areas, there is mass migration by Alawites and other Shiites — they are taking everything with them, even furniture,” said Abu Foad, a reporter for Orient, a pro- opposition television channel, based in outer Damascus. “They are fleeing from areas that are likely going to get hit.”

The U. S. and United Kingdom have been preparing to launch potential military strikes in Syria after hundreds of people were killed last week in an alleged chemical weapons attack in Ghouta, east of Damascus.

Pro- opposition website Kulna Shorkaa reported Syrian intelligence branches were moving documents to alternative locations, and the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said it evacuated 89 people, including 75 Russians, on Tuesday, with more expected to leave Wednesday.

Observers say towns bordering Jordan have seen huge numbers of refugees from Damascus but closed ports and tightened entry conditions to refugee camps in Jordan mean those people have nowhere to go.

“There is news that al- Zaatri camp has stopped further entry because numbers of displaced exceeded 120,000,” said Nayef al- Sari, 40, with the opposition in Daraa. “Jordanian authorities have issued orders to stop entry for 45 days — even the wounded have some difficulties entering.”

Meanwhile, the refugees wait in Tal Shahab and Nasib near the border, mostly taking shelter in schools or sleeping in the open. “Food, basic survival materials and baby milk are absent, but the hands of medical staff are tied. They can’t help these displaced people who are sick or whose medical condition have worsened due to migration,” al- Sari said.

Assad denies having launched a chemical weapons attack, but accusations mounted Wednesday that his regime is to blame. NATO’s secretary- general released a statement saying “a wide variety of sources” pointed to the Syrian regime. NATO said the “horrific use” of chemical weapons by Syria “is unacceptable and cannot go unanswered. Those responsible must be held accountable.”

RAAD ADAYLEH, AP Syrian refugees gather at the al- Zaatri camp near Mafraq, Jordan, on July 26. The camp has suspended its intake of refugees.