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Syrians flee to Jordan to escape violence

Thursday, November 17, 2011 - 02:25

Nov. 17 - As Russia says events in Syria resemble civil war and the Turkish Prime Minister condemns the international community’s lack of action, more Syrian refugees are seeking safety in Jordan. Nick Rowlands reports.

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The Jordanian capital, Amman, home to an increasing number of Syrian refugees. As violence and political uncertainty in Syria worsen, close to 5,000 refugees are believed to have fled to Jordan. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) AHMED'S MOTHER: "We had no milk and no food. We ate rotten bread. We would wipe the mold off bread or wash it and eat it. The rotten food finished and we started boiling potatoes to eat. Many have died from lack of food." The United Nations says more than 3,500 people have died since the Syrian government crackdown on protesters began eight months ago. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN REFUGEE, AHMED: "My daughter died in front of my eyes. I could not do anything about it. Each time I wanted to take my wife to the doctor to give birth, they would shoot at us. I went to the checkpoint to tell soldiers my wife needed hospital. I was told to go back or we will shoot you and your wife. Indeed, a pregnant woman went out before me and she was shot in the belly. I did not dare leave home. My wife delivered on the ground and the baby died. I could not do anything." Speaking from Istanbul, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan slammed the international community over its repsonse to the situation in Syria. (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PRIME MINISTER TAYYIP ERDOGAN: "The silence and indifference to the massacres in Syria by those who spoke out against Libya create irreparable wounds on the human conscience." Erdogan called for more action to stop the bloodshed, amid reports that Syrian army defectors had attacked a government intelligence complex. Speaking from Moscow, the Russian Foreign Minister said the violence in Syria "is already completely similar to real civil war." Despite joining China in using its veto at the U.N. last month to prevent the Security Council passing a resolution condemning Syria, Russia has called on President Bashar al-Assad to implement promised reforms, faster. Nick Rowlands, Reuters.