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Syria chemical attack survivors recall horror as poison rained down during strike

Some families have decided to move to safer areas in the countryside far from the cities

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ANI London
Last Updated : Aug 29 2013 | 4:00 PM IST

The survivors of last week's chemical weapons attack in Syria have recalled the horrors after the strike, which killed nearly thousands, including a number of children and women.

Syrians continue to go about their daily lives nervously, despite the intensification of media interest and statements about the possibility that Syria will face a military strike.

Some families have decided to move to safer areas in the countryside far from the cities, and some are even moving across the border to Jordan.

Some of those who live near military sites or government complexes have done similarly.

According to the Mirror, most of the Syrians are moving to the Zaatari refugee camp. The camp is Jordan's fourth biggest city. It is refuge for an extraordinary 130,000 Syrians who have fled their homeland.

Despite having a population the size of Watford, the tents and caravan units are often well spaced out.

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It is exceedingly well organised, there are dozens of water towers, wash rooms and kitchen units. Food distribution is a slick operation using scanners and laptops.

There are four schools in the camp and Save the Children runs a kindergarten, activities for teenagers and a breast-feeding clinic for new mums.

The Syrians, known for their business skills, have set up an entire street in the camp trading in everything from fruit, vegetables and sugar to computer games, iced drinks and wedding dress hire.

About 200 people arrive each day in Zaatari. This has slowed from a peak of 1,000 a day a few months ago.

Work is under way to open a similar sized camp an hour away along the Jordanian border as there seems little prospect of the flow of refugees slowing again.

With attacks by Western powers in the offing, charities working here fear it may increase in coming weeks.

The camp may be basic but there is a good mobile phone signal and a number of television sets, which means people are fully informed of what is going on in Syria.

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First Published: Aug 29 2013 | 1:07 PM IST

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