Sentinel-2 Imagery Shows Growth of Syrian Refugee Camps
Sentinel-2 Imagery shows quick expansion of refugee camp in Rukban, a remote area in the extreme northeast of Jordan, near the joint borders with Syria and Iraq. Recent data from July 22 reveals that refugee camp has grown substantially (current estimated population is almost 60,000), from late January.
Camp is sandwiched between two ridges of earth and sand (berms). The international border, based on the 1916 Sykes-Picot line, should be somewhere between the berms, built by Syrian and Jordanian authorities to divide a demilitarised buffer zone. In recent weeks, it’s become clear the camps are not just temporary way stations, but are here to stay, and growing. The little aid that gets in is poorly targeted and monitored.
As stated in recent projections by humanitarian agencies, the border population could reach 100,000 by the end of this year. Aid organisations are constructing a service area (the image below) on the Jordanian side of the berm at Rukban, which will serve as a base for providing goods and services.
Construction of a service area on the Jordanian side of the berm at Rukban (differential between August 2015 and July 2016).
Originally published at sentinel-hub.com.
