AMMAN/DUBAI, 24 May 2013 (IRIN) - Thousands of people are gathering in villages in southern Syria, unable to seek refuge in Jordan because of insecurity along the border or, according to some, new Jordanian security measures.

In Nasib village, just 2km from one of four border crossings between Jordan and Syria, there are 10,000 displaced people waiting to leave Syria, according to village imam Abu Omar. He said government security forces abandoned the village "long ago".

05/24/2013 14:38 GMT

GENEVA, May 24, 2013 (AFP) - The United States, Turkey and Qatar called Friday for an urgent debate on Syria at the UN's top human rights body next week, citing the escalating conflict and the regime's assault on the central town of Qusayr.

"We have the honour to request the Human Rights Council to hold an urgent debate on the deteriorating situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic, and the recent killings in Al Qusayr," the ambassadors of the three countries wrote in their request to council president Remigiusz Henczel.

Until May 17, roughly 1,600 refugees arrived every day in Zaatari, Jordan’s largest refugee camp. In recent days the number has fallen to close to zero. This raises questions about why refugees are not able to cross the border.

05/24/2013 01:54 GMT

LONDON, May 24, 2013 (AFP) - EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels next week must extend the arms embargo on Syria and push for a political solution to the country's civil war, British-based charity Oxfam said Friday.

The aid agency said it would be "irresponsible" not to widen the arms ban and warned a failure to do so could extinguish hopes of a breakthrough at the US-Russian peace summit scheduled for June 12.

"Allowing the EU arms embargo to end could have devastating consequences," warned Oxfam's Head of Arms Control Anna Macdonald.

Australia is giving international relief agencies an extra $12 million to help them respond to the humanitarian crisis unfolding as thousands more flee the fighting in Syria.

Since the fighting began, more than 1.5 million people have fled Syria. By the end of the year, these numbers could reach 3.6 million. Every day more than 5,000 Syrians cross into the neighbouring countries of Lebanon and Jordan.

Water, sanitation, education and housing services are being severely strained. Three quarters of those fleeing the conflict into Lebanon and Jordan are women and children.

Several months ago, Hussein Alwawi was living in Aleppo with his family. But, he recalls, “A warplane attacked our neighborhood and lots of houses were destroyed, including ours. We were not at home at the time, but two families were killed.”

PLENARY SESSION Humanitarian aid − 23-05-2013 - 13:11

MEPs call for respect for human rights and humanitarian law in Syria and support a political solution to the conflict, in a resolution voted on Thursday, while emphasizing that the two tracks should be kept separate.

The EU should play a leading role in preventing the armed conflict in Syria from spilling over into neighbouring countries, MEPs say. They also call on the Commission to present a comprehensive aid package to address the humanitarian crisis in Syria and its neighbouring countries.

San Diego, United States - It has been a strenuous 9,000-kilometre journey across the Atlantic to the US for Amal Kahim Jama and her Somali family. Fleeing civil war in Syria, they were recently forced to leave everything behind and rebuild their lives - yet again.

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As civil war carries on in Syria and the dynamic security situation continues to deteriorate in the surrounding region, ShelterBox has partnered with Hand in Hand for Syria (HIHS) to get vital humanitarian aid to people internally displaced inside Syria.

According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), some 6.8 million people have been forced from their homes in the war-torn country having been exposed to violence and unremitting fighting. Many now remain within the borders with no home to go to and no possessions.