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In Pictures

Gallery|Humanitarian Crises

Jordan’s Azraq Syrian refugee camp stands largely empty

Scalding temperatures, a lack of electricity and soaring food prices have created harsh conditions in the desert camp.

Azraq Refugee Camp for Syrians in Jordan/DO NOT USE/RESTRICTED
Though the Azraq camp was preplanned to tackle some of the shortcomings of Jordan's Zaatari camp, with metal housing instead of tents, many residents of the largely empty camp say they would prefer to be in Zaatari, or back in Syria. [Alisa Reznick/Al Jazeera]
By Alisa Reznick
Published On 1 Jun 20151 Jun 2015
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Along a 15km stretch of rocky desert in northern Jordan, in what used to be a camp for displaced Iraqis and Kuwaitis during the first Gulf War, rows of white metal shelters now make up the Azraq camp for Syrian refugees.

Azraq opened in April 2014 with the capacity to house up to 130,000 refugees. Back then, the Jordanian government and the United Nations said it would likely become one of the world’s most populous refugee camps – but one year on, it is nearly empty, with a population of around 18,500. Residents say scalding summer temperatures, a lack of electricity and soaring food prices have created harsh conditions inside the desert camp.

Despite major funding rollbacks by international aid agencies, most of Jordan’s 1.4 million Syrian refugees, 630,000 of whom are registered with the UN’s refugee agency, are taking their chances in urban areas rather than refugee camps. 

Ahmad, who did not provide a last name for fear of reprisals back in Syria, lives in Azraq with his wife and nine children after fleeing Homs when their home was shelled in 2013. After moving between the Jordanian city of Mafraq and the Zaatari refugee camp, they ended up in Azraq earlier this year.

While Ahmad said services were better in Azraq, he shrugged when asked about quality of life inside the largely empty camp. “Look around you,” he said. “Does it look okay?”

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Azraq Refugee Camp for Syrians in Jordan/DO NOT USE/RESTRICTED
A Syrian child stands among metal shelters in Azraq's Village 6, one of two 'villages' that are populated inside the desert camp. [Alisa Reznick/Al Jazeera]
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Azraq Refugee Camp for Syrians in Jordan/DO NOT USE/RESTRICTED
A young refugee carries water to her family's shelter in Azraq. Refugees say one of the main problems inside the desert camp is the scorching summer heat and a lack of electricity at night. [Alisa Reznick/Al Jazeera]
Azraq Refugee Camp for Syrians in Jordan/DO NOT USE/RESTRICTED
Azraq residents wash blankets in the camp, where high winds cover the inside of the metal shelters with a heavy layer of dust. [Alisa Reznick/Al Jazeera]
Azraq Refugee Camp for Syrians in Jordan/DO NOT USE/RESTRICTED
Refugees gather around the water distribution area. As aid from international agencies dwindles, refugees are increasingly forced to move to the camp for humanitarian services, although the barren landscape and lack of electricity make for harsh living conditions. [Alisa Reznick/Al Jazeera]
Azraq Refugee Camp for Syrians in Jordan/DO NOT USE/RESTRICTED
A Syrian refugee shields his face from the dust. Fierce winds tear through the camp throughout the day. [Alisa Reznick/Al Jazeera]
Azraq Refugee Camp for Syrians in Jordan/DO NOT USE/RESTRICTED
A young Syrian refugee sits inside her family's shelter in Azraq. Among the camp's 18,500 refugees, roughly 10,000 are under 18, according to official data. [Alisa Reznick/Al Jazeera]
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Azraq Refugee Camp for Syrians in Jordan/DO NOT USE/RESTRICTED
Due to the lack of electricity, refugees cannot use fans or refrigerators inside their shelters. While a new programme to install a solar electricity system is under way, camp director Roberta Montevecchi says it is still at least a year from completion. [Alisa Reznick/Al Jazeera]
Azraq Refugee Camp for Syrians in Jordan/DO NOT USE/RESTRICTED
While school services are readily available, many parents said they do not send their children to class, as high temperatures make it difficult for them to leave home. [Alisa Reznick/Al Jazeera]
Azraq Refugee Camp for Syrians in Jordan/DO NOT USE/RESTRICTED
A young Syrian refugee follows a kite on the outskirts of Azraq. [Alisa Reznick/Al Jazeera]
Azraq Refugee Camp for Syrians in Jordan/DO NOT USE/RESTRICTED
A Jordanian worker waits for more produce to be hauled into storage at Azraq's only supermarket. Unlike in Zaatari, where refugees run their own food and service businesses inside smaller markets throughout the camp, Azraq has only one supermarket. [Alisa Reznick/Al Jazeera]
Azraq Refugee Camp for Syrians in Jordan/DO NOT USE/RESTRICTED
Shoppers browse fresh dairy products inside Azraq's only supermarket. Residents say food prices have soared in recent months, with basic items increasingly outside of the budget allotted to each refugee through a food voucher system. [Alisa Reznick/Al Jazeera]
Azraq Refugee Camp for Syrians in Jordan/DO NOT USE/RESTRICTED
An Azraq resident displays her food voucher card. Each month, refugees receive the equivalent of $29 in food vouchers, but due to higher prices, they say it is often not enough. [Alisa Reznick/Al Jazeera]
Azraq Refugee Camp for Syrians in Jordan/DO NOT USE/RESTRICTED
Ahmad Delash, 34, says many families inside the camp are considering returning to Syria. 'The camp is not bad; the problem is the electricity and the prices,' he said. 'There is no work. We don't do anything.' [Alisa Reznick/Al Jazeera]
Azraq Refugee Camp for Syrians in Jordan/DO NOT USE/RESTRICTED
A little over a year since opening its gates and offering solid metal shelters for every resident, Azraq remains a largely empty plot in the northern Jordanian desert. [Alisa Reznick/Al Jazeera]


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