Knights of Malta open camp for Syrian refugees

Turkey – As the flow of refugees from Syria continues, the Knights of Malta have opened a camp to cater for displaced people in Kilis, just across the border from the conflict-ravaged nation. By way of illustrating the continuing need for aid for Syrian civilians, the Knights revealed that on the first day of the camp’s operation, 4,000 people were registered by volunteers there. At least 80 of those entering the camp, having existed in desperate conditions in the area for months, were in critical medical condition requiring emergency aid, a number of them pregnant women. A spokesperson for the order said: “The people coming into the camp have spent many days and nights on the run, sleeping in the open with nightly temperatures down to six degrees, in poor hygiene conditions – this causes diarrhoea, respiratory infections and skin diseases. Some have injuries such as broken bones or wounds.”