The war in Syria against Assad has killed more than 300,000 people and forced millions to flee their homes since it began in 2011. More recently, a Russian-backed Assad government offensive around Aleppo has sent tens of thousands of people fleeing to the Turkish border in recent days.
Turkey, already home to about 3 million refugees — 2.5 million of them Syrians — is providing assistance to the new wave of refugees at displaced persons camps on the Syrian side of the border. It has kept a key border crossing for refugees closed, prompting UNHCR on Tuesday to call on Turkey to admit "all civilians who are fleeing danger and seeking international protection as they have done since the start of this crisis."
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded to that demand by saying the U.N. had provided $455 million to Turkey compared to the $10 billion Turkey had spent on the refugees since 2011, Associated Press said.
On Wednesday, Suleyman Tapsiz, the governor for the border province of Kilis, said Turkey allowed in 12 Syrians who were seriously injured in Russian and Assad bombings near the town of Tel Rifaat, in northern Syria. One of them has since died while the others were in stable condition, he told NTV television in an interview.
The governor denied accusations that Turkey had closed its borders to the refugees, insisting that the country had chosen to assist the new arrivals at the displaced peoples’ camps just across the border, but would let them in if the need arises later.
التعليقات (0)