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Jordan Refuses to Force Return of Syrian Refugees

A Syrian refugee boy plays in front of his family tent at the Al Zaatri refugee camp, in the Jordanian city of Mafraq, near the border with Syria, January 18, 2016. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed/Files
A Syrian refugee boy plays in front of his family tent at the Al Zaatri refugee camp, in the Jordanian city of Mafraq, near the border with Syria, January 18, 2016. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed/Files
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Jordan Refuses to Force Return of Syrian Refugees

A Syrian refugee boy plays in front of his family tent at the Al Zaatri refugee camp, in the Jordanian city of Mafraq, near the border with Syria, January 18, 2016. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed/Files
A Syrian refugee boy plays in front of his family tent at the Al Zaatri refugee camp, in the Jordanian city of Mafraq, near the border with Syria, January 18, 2016. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed/Files

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi received on Thursday a Russian delegation headed by Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev in Amman.

Safadi and the delegates, who included the Russian deputy foreign minister and defense ministry officials, reviewed Russian ideas on the return of Syrian refugees and efforts exerted to strengthen stability in the southwestern region of Syria, according to a ministry statement.

Safadi stressed that Jordan would continue cooperating with Russia so as to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis, one that is accepted by all Syrians, maintain the territorial integrity of the country and guarantee the safe return and resettlement of refugees on their lands.

Earlier on Wednesday, in an interview with Al-Mamlaka reported by AFP, Safadi said that his country would not force Syrian refugees to return home, asserting the kingdom's cooperation with its partners to provide proper conditions for their voluntary return.

He said that Jordan encourages the voluntarily return of Syrians, stressing the need to provide security, political, social and economic grounds to urge the Syrians to go back on their own.

Safadi discussed last Sunday in a phone call with Lavrov the return of refugees.

Jordan wants to create a suitable environment for refugees to go back to their towns and villages so that they can live in freedom, dignity, security and stability, Safadi explained, stressing the Kingdom's keenness on respecting its legal obligations and human rights.

Jordan hosts 667,000 registered Syrian refugees, but the kingdom says the real number, including those undocumented, is almost double. Poor in natural resources and with a faltering economy, Amman says the refugees add an extra burden with the total cost of hosting them exceeding USD10 billion.

The United Nations said last Monday that the return of Syrians to their country is a topic that has been discussed between Moscow and Washington.

“It is up to people to... no one should be forced to return,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

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Arab World

Houthi Charges of Espionage: A Tool to Intimidate, Control the Population

Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
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Houthi Charges of Espionage: A Tool to Intimidate, Control the Population

Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)

The Houthi militia has recently released several individuals it had abducted for celebrating Yemen’s September Revolution. However, over the past few days, it has detained hundreds of residents in its stronghold of Saada, accusing them of espionage.

The campaign coincides with the airing of alleged confessions from a purported spy cell and the abduction of a former employee of the US Embassy in Yemen.

Local sources in Saada province, approximately 242 kilometers north of Sanaa, report that the Houthis have launched a widespread campaign of arrests targeting civilians. These individuals have been taken from their homes, workplaces, and businesses under allegations of collaborating with Western nations and Israel. Families of those detained have been warned to remain silent and refrain from discussing the arrests with the media or on social media platforms.

According to the sources, more than 300 individuals, including dozens of women, have been abducted across various districts in Saada. The arrests have also targeted relatives and associates of Othman Mujalli, a member of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, who hails from the region.

The sources suggest that the Houthis are detaining women as hostages to pressure their relatives, who may either be out of the militia’s reach or living outside Houthi-controlled areas. They also appear to be using the women to coerce confessions from male relatives. Last month, the Houthis accused Hamid Mujalli, Othman Mujalli’s brother, of engaging in espionage for Arab and Western nations for nearly two decades.

In a separate incident, the Houthis abducted a former employee of the US Embassy in Sanaa from his home on Monday without providing any explanation for their actions.

Release of Detainees

The Houthis recently released Sheikh Amin Rajeh, a tribal leader from Ibb province, after detaining him for four months. Several other individuals were also freed, none of whom had been formally charged during their detention. Rajeh, a member of the General People’s Congress Party, was one of many political activists, students, workers, and public employees abducted in September for celebrating Yemen’s September 26, 1962, revolution.

One of the released individuals, a shop owner, told Asharq Al-Awsat that he was unaware of the reason for his detention. He had been abducted in November, two months after the Houthis initiated a crackdown on those commemorating the revolution.

Alleged Spy Cell

Houthi-controlled media recently broadcast confessions from what they claimed was a newly uncovered spy cell. The group linked the cell to its broader narrative of “promised conquest and sacred jihad” against the West and Israel.

According to Houthi security officials, the alleged spy cell was working to compile a “target database,” monitor sites linked to missile forces and drones, and track specific military and security locations. They also claimed the cell had been observing the residences and movements of Houthi leaders.

In response, the Houthis issued warnings to residents, forbidding them from discussing or sharing information about militia-controlled sites, facilities, or the whereabouts of their leaders.

The Houthis’ actions reflect mounting concerns over potential strikes targeting their senior leadership, similar to the recent attacks on Hezbollah figures in Lebanon. Those fears come amid ongoing tensions with Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom, following the Houthis’ assaults on international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and missile attacks on Israel.