Article content

AMMAN, Jordan – Most people want to get out of refugee camps, not sneak in. But under cover of the night, Abu Ali smuggled his family of three girls and two boys into the Al-Zaatari refugee camp for Syrians in the north of the country.

A Jordanian, he could no longer put food on the table and came to Al-Zaatari to feed his family.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Jordanian sneaks into refugee camp in his own country, saying he could no longer feed his family Back to video

Ali, who asked that his last name not be used, now lives in a small tent among asylum seekers from Syria. With United Nations food parcels scattered around his bed, Ali says lack of work opportunities and subsequent abject poverty was behind his decision to seek refuge in the camp. With no functioning social security aid in Jordan, the 54-year-old Ali is a refugee in his own country.

Several other Jordanian families are believed to have entered the camp in search of a stable source of food and medical aid.

“There is no place for me out there anymore. My children cannot find food or proper medical treatment. I was evicted from my house because I could not pay the rent,” said Ali.