With Iraqis flocking homeward to fight the invaders, the Jordanian Al- Ruweishid refugee camp looks deserted

AMMAN, March 25 (IslamOnline.net) - Jordanian authorities have reported an "exodus" of Iraqis moving to a direction that no one had expected - into Iraq and on their way to Baghdad.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher confirmed to reporters Tuesday, March 25, during a press conference in the capital Amman that Jordanian border guards registered more than 4600 Iraqis who crossed international borders into Iraq since the war broke out in their country.

This movement of Iraqis came as a surprise to the Jordanian government and the humanitarian agencies who were expecting it to be the other way around.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the United National High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) offices in Jordan have, over the last few weeks, erected huge tents on the eastern Jordanian borders anticipating massive refugee movement towards the Iraqi borders.

But while the supposed refugee camps still give a deserted look, the Iraqis were quietly finding their way into Iraq with a clear approach in their minds- to fight the "invaders".

"I came to Amman last week and going back tomorrow" Muhammad Jalal, 29, told IslamOnline.net outside a traditional Arabian coffee shop in downtown Amman.

"I came here to lodge my family with my relative who live in Amman" he gave the reason of his latest Amman visit.

And the reason for which he was going back was as simple and straight. "I will fight the U.S. invaders" he said.

Jordanian authorities believe Jalal is one of more than 4600 Iraqis who left Amman to get back to their homeland in the last two weeks.

And the number was still increasing. Only in two days, Sunday through Monday, the Jordanian authorities registered 566 Iraqis returning home.

To the surprise of the Jordanian authorities a big majority of the intending travelers gave Baghdad as their destination in Iraq.

While the phenomenal movement of the Iraqi nationals into their war-hit country was on the rise, the U.N. agencies reported no Iraqi refugees on any of Iraq's borders in the region.

"In the last 24 hours no Iraqi refugees were registered in any of the UNHCR camps" Peter Kessler spokesman for the UNHCR told reporters in a daily briefing.

UNHCR has established huge camps in Iraqi neighbors including Jordan, Syrian and Iran where the humanitarian agencies were expecting "exodus" of Iraqi refugees in the event of war.

According to the U.N. agencies 0.5 million Iraqis were supposed to be hard hit by the war and were feared to be rendered homeless.

The ICRC however reported Tuesday that 22000 Iraqis were seen to be moving towards the Iranian border in northern Iraq.

"But they did not cross the border into Iran and choose to lodge themselves at ICRC facilities inside Iraq" Muin Kassis, ICRC spokesman told reporters.