Around 1,700 Syrian Turkmen have arrived in southern Turkey over the last three days, a local governor said Sunday, as refugees continue to flee regime attacks backed by Russian air strikes.
The Governor of Hatay province, Ercan Topaca, said 28 injured civilians from the Bayir Bucak border region were among the group of refugees, adding that one civilian had died on the journey.
Topaca told a news conference that up to 30,000 inhabitants of the mountainous area could potentially be forced from their homes in attacks on moderate opposition forces and Turkmen and Arab villages.
Meanwhile, almost 5,500 people arrived at the Yamadi refugee camp in Syria, Turkish authorities told an Anadolu correspondent, but denied media reports that up to 40,000 Turkmen were heading for the Turkish border.
There are now around 14,000 Syrians living at Yamadi, which is close to Yayladagi in Turkey’s Hatay province.
The Turkmen refugees have been received at the Arfali refugee camp, where they were given tents, bedding, children’s clothing, food and medical attention.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
