Muath Freij, The Jordan Times

MAFRAQ — Around 80 Syrian refugees held a demonstration at the Zaatari Refugee Camp on Wednesday in protest against a bombing at an Aleppo university that took place on Tuesday.

Universities were closed across Syria on Wednesday to observe a day of mourning after twin blasts tore through an Aleppo campus while students were writing exams, killing at least 87 people, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights warned that the toll from Tuesday’s blasts in Syria’s war-ravaged northern commercial capital could rise beyond 100, making it one of the bloodiest attacks in Syria’s 22-month conflict, according to AFP.

The Syrian government and rebels have both blamed each other for the attack, but there was little doubt in the minds of the Zaatari refugees that the regime was behind it.

Most of the demonstrators who spoke to The Jordan Times on Wednesday did not reveal their real names, citing fear of reprisals by the Syrian regime against their families.

They stressed that international media reports saying the protest was against living conditions in the camp were false.

Abu Omar, from Daraa, said the demonstration was organised in solidarity with Syrians who were killed in what he described as an “awful massacre”.

“I do not know what Arab countries are waiting for” before intervening to end the conflict, Abu Omar said as he waved the Syrian resistance flag.

Huwran Al Huor (not his real name) said that he had lost hope that the rest of the Arab world would stand up for the Syrian people.

“No one supports the Syrian revolution unlike the other Arab revolutions,” added Huor, who is also from Daraa.

Another Syrian refugee, who identified himself as Zu’bi Huor (not his real name), said the whole world was conspiring against the Syrian revolution.

“The revolution has gone on for a long time and no one has paid attention to it,” Huor, who left Daraa two months ago, told The Jordan Times.

Adnan, 35, said his loved ones in Syria were facing abject conditions.

“I contacted my relatives back home and they said that women are being raped and everyone is living in great terror. Also, many people are starving and others are battling harsh weather,” added Adnan, who has been at the camp for over six months.

He also called on Arab countries to support the Free Syrian Army.

“Arab countries have to provide the Free Syrian Army with the finest weapons so that they can defeat the regime,” he exclaimed, noting that there is no way for the conflict in Syria to end peacefully.

“No one can find a peaceful solution as long as this kind of regime is ruling our country,” he added.

Adnan also said that the mission of Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN representative in Syria, would be successful only if he convinced the world to use force to help oust the regime.

“I also want to stress that the regime will never succeed in dividing the Syrian people. We are all one big family,” the refugee said.