More than 50 Syrian refugee youths have tried to tear down an enclosure fence at Jordan's first refugee tent city, saying they wanted to flee.

An Associated Press reporter who witnessed the incident at the Zaatari camp near the Syrian border says government security guards fired three warning shots in the air to disperse the angry crowd.

No injuries from Monday's incident were reported, and the guards have quieted the outburst.

More than 3,300 refugees in the desert camp have expressed dissatisfaction with its harsh conditions, including extreme heat and cold and constant dust-laden winds.

Resource-poor Jordan is struggling to deal with the influx of refugees from the Syrian civil war. Jordanian officials estimate that 150,000 Syrians are seeking refuge in their country.