The UN refugee agency has closed the Al Tanf Refugee camp, situated between the Iraqi and Syrian borders. The camp had been accommodating Palestinian refugees from Iraq for almost four years. The remaining sixty camp residents have been transferred to a separate camp in Syria’s interior.

Al Tanf camp was opened in May 2006 in response to a greater flow of Palestinians fleeing persecution in Iraq. The conditions in the desert camp were harsh, with little access to healthcare, extreme temperatures and an infestation of snakes and scorpions. The dangerous circumstances were highlighted by the death of a nine year old boy, Mohamed Kamal Ibrahim, in September 2008 in a road accident outside the camp.

The closure of Al Tanf was undertaken by the Syrian government with assistance from UN agencies, the Palestinian Red Crescent and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. Phillipe Leclerc of the UNHCR commented: ‘today we were able to close this camp and this is a very important step and achievement in responding on a humanitarian basis to the situation of people who were stranded there as a result of fleeing persecution.’

Palestinians have fled Iraq due to threats, torture and detention. There are currently over two thousand Palestinian refugees from Iraq currently living in refugee camps in Syria supplementing the 747,000 refugees from Iraq currently in Syria. Although the UNHCR has praised the ‘generous attitude’ of the Syrian authorities, life is difficult. The state turns a blind eye to informal employment but formal employment is prohibited.

In the last four years, approximately one thousand Palestinians formerly living in Iraq have been relocated to third countries, mostly in Europe and South America. ‘We just want a place that welcomes us and recognizes us as human beings’ said Abu Mohanned, one of the refugees. The UNHCR (UN’s Refugee Agency) has said that it will continue to advocate for a dignified solution.