The governor of the Turkish border province of Kilis, Suleyman Tapsiz, said Saturday that Turkey – already home to 2-2.5 million Syrians – was taking care of 30-35,000 refugees who had gathered around the nearby Syrian city of Azaz.
Advertisement
Syrian government troops advanced Sunday toward a rebel town near the Turkish border as they pressed a Russian-backed offensive that has prompted tens of thousands to flee, a monitor said.
On the other hand, a source from the Syrian opposition said that around 70 thousand refugees from Aleppo and its countryside are still stuck at Bab al-Salam border crossing, and he expected the number to increase up to 300 thousand refugees if the bombardment continued on Idlib countryside.
Those living in parts of the city held by the rebels since 2012 fear they could be the next victims of siege tactics used across Syria by all sides in the war, which have caused widespread malnourishment and starvation.
An EU diplomatic source told that the foreign ministers, meeting informally in Amsterdam, would take the opportunity to voice their concerns over the fate of the refugees fleeing the government offensive against rebel forces in Aleppo, Syria’s second largest city.
“There is a big wave of people leaving Aleppo City because they are scared Al-Castello Highway – the only way out – will be cut off”, said Osaid Pasha, an Aleppo-based activist who recently fled to Turkey.
“We have received already 5,000 of them, another 50,000 to 55,000 are on their way and we can not leave them there alone because (Russian) air strikes are ongoing…”
The war in Syria has killed 250,000 people.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said Turkey was ready to open its gates to Syrian refugees “if necessary”.
Riyadh on Thursday said it would “contribute positively” if the US-led coalition against the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group in Syria decides on ground action. “But in the end, these people have nowhere else to go”.
Top diplomats from countries trying to resolve the conflict are set to meet again next week after United Nations envoy Staffan de Mistura suspended the floundering Geneva negotiations until February 25. “Any ground intervention on Syrian territory without government authorisation would amount to an aggression that must be resisted”, Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said at a news conference in Damascus.
A group of Syrian rappers have recorded their journey from Aleppo to Europe and turned it into a rap song. “They are attacking the schools, hospitals and civilians”, Cavusoglu said.
More violent protests erupted after rumors spread that the Turkish government was planning to move those waiting away from the border point to a camp near the ISIS front lines, just five miles to the east and still inside Syria.
Iran has said it has dispatched military advisers to Syria, but denies sending combat troops.
Advertisement
Erdogan meanwhile dismissed Russia’s claims that Turkey was actively preparing to invade Syria, calling Moscow “an invader” that together with Assad was responsible for the deaths of thousands of civilians. Turkey disputed the charge that it has been inactive, with Cavusoglu saying the numbers are ebbing and reports to the contrary are “manipulation in the media in the European capitals”.
