Jordan closes Iraq border crossing

Jordan has closed its border crossing with Iraq to prevent the entry of Palestinian residents in Iraq fleeing persecution amid sectarian violence there.

The Jordanian authorities, fearful of a wave of immigration from among the 34,000 Palestinian refugees estimated to be living in Iraq, closed the border after a group of Palestinians arrived on Sunday.

The refugees have been placed in a camp in no man's land between Jordan and Iraq, after the Iraqi authorities refused to allow them to return.

Jordanian authorities closed the border to "prevent whoever does not have valid travel documents from entering the country," said Major Bashir al-Da'ajah, a spokesman for the Public Security Department

al Jazeera

WORSE NOW than under Hussein.

Way to go, bush.

<snip>

"Eighty-eight Palestinians stuck since Saturday in a no-man's desert strip between Jordan and Iraq said the killings of fellow community members in Baghdad have forced them to flee.

"We left Baghdad because the entire security situation has deteriorated to such an extent that we couldn't stay," said Ihab Tayem, one of the Palestinians stranded in the no-man's land.

Peggy Gish and Beth Pyles, members of the U.S.-based Christian Peacemaker Teams in Baghdad, accompanied the group in an attempt to cross into Jordan late Saturday. Gish, who is now in Amman, said Jordanian border officials refused the Palestinians entry, demanding that they return to Iraq.

Jordan has said it will not take any refugees from Iraq, fearing another exodus to a country already burdened by Palestinians displaced in wars with Israel over nearly 60 years.

Tayem, contacted by The Associated Press in the no-man's land, said at least 15 Palestinians have recently been killed in Baghdad, but "we don't know who is behind the slayings; We can't accuse anybody."


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