- Title: Iraqi Turkmens reach Turkey after trek fleeing Tal Afar fighting
- Date: 28th December 2016
- Summary: HATAY, TURKEY (DECEMBER 28, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF NEWLY ARRIVED IRAQI TURKMEN FAMILIES ENTERING TENT TURKMEN REFUGEES GETTING LUNCH DISTRIBUTED BY TURKISH AUTHORITIES VARIOUS OF TURKMEN FAMILIES EATING LUNCH BOY STANDING BY HIS FATHER (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) IRAQI TURKMEN, AHMET ALI BEKIR, SAYING: "We came here after walking day and night for 40 days with our children. We came to Turkey by walking under rain and snow. We came to Turkey from Tal Afar. We thank you (to Turkish authorities)." VARIOUS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN HAVING LUNCH (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) IRAQI TURKMEN, MAHMUT BEKIR, SAYING: "We came from Tal Afar. We are Turkmens. Turkey was the only one to take us in. No other country took us in." WOMEN AND CHILDREN SITTING VARIOUS OF TURKISH AID WORKERS HELPING WOMEN AND CHILDREN WEARING NEW CLOTHES
- Embargoed: 12th January 2017 13:56
- Keywords: Turkey Iraq Turkmens Shi'ite militias Iran Tal Afar Islamic State refugees
- Location: HATAY, TURKEY
- City: HATAY, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Asylum/Immigration/Refugees,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015ESRFPJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Some 1,500 Turkmens from the Iraqi town of Tal Afar crossed into Turkey over the course of two days after fleeing clashes between Iraqi Shi'ite militias and Islamic State, a senior Turkish official told Reuters on Wednesday (December 28).
Large groups of Iraqi Turkmens arrived in the southern province of Hatay after a 40-day long journey on foot, the official said.
A further 2,000 Turkmens were waiting in Syria's Azaz province to cross into Turkey, the official added.
Around 100,000 Iraqi soldiers, security forces, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and mainly Shi'ite paramilitary forces are participating in an assault on Mosul that began on October 17, with air and ground support from a U.S.-led international military coalition.
The paramilitary forces' operations have focused on Tal Afar, 77 km (47 miles) west of Mosul. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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