More than 12,000 refugees fleeing war in Syria have amassed at the border with Jordan, awaiting entry, Associated Press reports.
Jordanian government spokesman Mohammed Momani confirmed this after Jordan initially dismissed it, saying the estimate provided by the UN refugee agency was exaggerated.
Momani told the AP Tuesday, "the number is 12,000, but it is increasing."
The refugees have been stranded in a remote desert area on the border. Many must spend weeks or months there awaiting entry as aid dwindles and the winter weather grows colder.
Roughly 50 to 100 people are permitted to enter each day, with priority given to women, children, the elderly, and sick people. Momani says a mass entry is unlikely to be permitted due to security concerns.
