TURKEY: Wounded Syrians get treatment in makeshift border hospital

Record ID: 276420

  • Title: TURKEY: Wounded Syrians get treatment in makeshift border hospital
  • Date: 13th August 2012
  • Summary: HATAY, TURKEY (AUGUST 13, 2012) (REUTERS) WOUNDED SYRIAN WALKING ALONG CORRIDOR VARIOUS OF WOUNDED SYRIANS SITTING AND TALKING TO EACH OTHER (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) VOLUNTEER DOCTOR FROM UNION OF MEDICAL RELIEF ORGANISATIONS, NAME AND IDENTITY WITHHELD, SAYING: "Regarding the situation at the border, the number of those injured sometimes reaches 50 and at other times it reac
  • Embargoed: 28th August 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: Health
  • Reuters ID: LVA5Z5614U4MFAJUSATMIOWHQDVU
  • Story Text: Volunteer Syrian doctors have converted an old hostel near the Turkish-Syrian border to makeshift hospital to treat wounded Syrians fleeing the violence in their country.
    The location of the makeshift medical centre is being kept secret and most doctors asked not to be identified for fear of retribution.
    One of the doctors, whose identity is not revealed, said the number of people coming to the centre has dramatically increased in the past few days.
    "The number of those wounded sometimes reaches 50 and at other times it reaches 10. But the average of wounded people is between 10 and 15. Some of the wounded people can be treated in an hour or two due to minor injuries and so they rest and later become able to cross into Turkey," a volunteer doctor who wished to remain unidentified told Reuters Television.
    The volunteer doctor added that the closure of the Lebanese side of the border to the west of Syria is causing an influx to the north for the Turkish border.
    "For the past few days, more heavily wounded people have started coming here mostly from Homs due to the closure of the Lebanese borders. And because of this, the number of wounded people coming from Homs has dramatically increased," he added.
    He said that sometimes Syrians who suffer minor injuries choose to return after their treatment.
    Suleiman Leben was severely wounded after taking part in what he said was a peaceful protest with a group of friends.
    He spoke of his ordeal while recovering in the medical centre.
    "A week ago I was were participating in a peaceful protest with some of my friends. While we were protesting, they began firing at us. Four of my friends died, and 15 people were wounded. and I have lost my arm and injured my legs," Leben said.
    More than 4,000 people fleeing violence in Syria have entered neighbouring Turkey in the past three days, bringing the total number of Syrian refugees there to 59,710, Turkish authorities said on Monday (August 13).
    At the end of July, some 44,000 Syrian refugees had been registered in Turkey.
    Battles rage in the northern city of Aleppo, where tanks, artillery and snipers attacked rebels in the Saif al-Dawla district next to the devastated area of Salaheddine. Turkish officials are concerned about a possible flood of refugees from the city.
    The conflict has created a refugee crisis in Turkey and other neighbouring countries. Opposition sources say at least 18,000 people have been killed since the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011.
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