Preparations take place on Sunday to complete a housing complex in the northern city of Ramtha that is to receive some 1,000 Syrian refugees (Photo by Taylor Luck)

RAMTHA — An ongoing influx of thousands of Syrians into Jordan is prompting authorities to open makeshift ‘holding facilities’ for the growing refugee community in the border region.

Local NGOs and officials say they are set to complete later this month a complex of 200 furnished trailers in Ramtha’s King Abdullah Gardens designed to house some 1,000 refugees.

The facility, funded by Al Kitab and Sunna Society, aims to house the growing number of new arrivals, which local charitable societies say have surpassed 500 per day.

“The situation has been worsening each day and we have taken it upon ourselves to help authorities provide Syrians with dignified living situations,” said Ziyad Hamad, head of the charitable organisation.

The housing complex will be the third in the northern city, following the transfer of some 400 refugees to a makeshift camp at the northern city’s Prince Hashem Sports City stadium late last week.

The housing centres aim to relieve the burden on Jordan’s main holding facility at Al Bashabsheh housing complex, a military-guarded compound in the northern city of Ramtha comprising five apartment buildings that currently house over 2,000 Syrians.

Despite following an open-border policy, Jordanian authorities transfer all Syrians entering the Kingdom illegally to the housing complex to run extensive background checks out of fears of attempts by agents of the Syrian regime to infiltrate the Kingdom.