Refugees Tell of Iraqi Beatings, Food Thefts

Iraq allowed hundreds of Egyptian refugees to flee into Jordan today, and some complained that Iraqis beat them and stole their food during weeks of waiting at the border.

“It was terrible. It was the worst 10 days of my life,” said Fatima Abadi, a mother standing barefoot at the Red Crescent transit camp near the Jordanian border post of Ruweished.

She held a small baby in her arms, and a 3-year-old boy clutched her side. “We had no food, no shelter, no milk for the children,” she said, crying.

She said “at least” one baby among the refugees died from the cold.

Egypt is one of the 28 countries participating in the anti-Iraq coalition.

Egyptians, as many as 50 to 70 packed into the open backs of dusty trucks, began arriving at the camp early in the morning.

More than 500 had arrived by noon. Some estimated that as many as 5,000 more were waiting to cross at Iraq’s Trebil border post 50 miles to the east.

As the trucks pulled into the camp, many Egyptians waved peace signs and smiled at reporters.

“At last we are in Jordan, free to speak out,” one said.

“The Red Crescent used to send us food, but Iraqi troops kept it for themselves,” said a refugee who gave his name as Kamel. “We were only given a small piece of bread and cucumber.”

“When we complained they beat us up,” he said.