Cranes ready to drop aid into Syrian camps await Jordan nod

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — An aid official says U.N. agencies have procured cranes to hoist food over an earthen barrier to tens of thousands of Syrians stranded on the border with Jordan, but are still waiting for Jordan’s promised go-ahead.

Jordan sealed its border after an attack on its troops by Islamic State extremists last month.

The closure halted regular aid deliveries from Jordan’s territory to Syrians on the other side of the berm. In mid-July, Jordan promised to allow a one-off shipment of 30 days’ worth of food.

The aid official said Monday that logistics for the shipment are in place but that Jordan still hasn’t given the green light. She spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to brief reporters.

Jordan’s government spokesman was not immediately available for comment.