SYRIA/TURKEY: Syrian families arrive near the border with Turkey hoping to escape violence by crossing into the neighbouring country which is currently sheltering more than 90,000 refugees

Record ID: 281437

  • Title: SYRIA/TURKEY: Syrian families arrive near the border with Turkey hoping to escape violence by crossing into the neighbouring country which is currently sheltering more than 90,000 refugees
  • Date: 12th October 2012
  • Summary: FSA SOLDIERS BOARDING RAFT ORONTES RIVER (OCTOBER 11, 2012) (REUTERS) FSA SOLDIERS ON RAFT FSA SOLDIERS BEING PULLED ON RAFT FSA SOLDIERS DISEMBARKING SYRIAN COAST OF ORONTES RIVER (AS SEEN FROM TURKEY) (OCTOBER 11, 2012). (REUTERS) FSA SOLDIER WAITING NEAR COAST
  • Embargoed: 27th October 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey, Syrian Arab Republic
  • City:
  • Country: Turkey Syrian Arab Republic
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA357Q5FZGLPKCJ3QVYXP20QEI3
  • Story Text: Dozens of Syrians crossed a narrow river marking the border with Turkey on Thursday (October 11) as they fled the fighting in Azmarin and surrounding villages.
    Residents from the Turkish village of Hacipasa helped pull the fleeing families, one with a baby in tow, across in small metal boats.
    Several mortar bombs landed outside the Syrian border town of Azmarin and heavy machinegun fire could be heard from the Turkish side, as clashes between the Syrian army and rebels intensified along the border.
    Plumes of smoke rose into the sky and sound of gunfire could be heard from the Turkish side of the border.
    Turkey's armed forces have bolstered their presence along the 900-km (560-mile) border and have been responding over the past week to gunfire and shelling coming across from northern Syria, where President Bashar al-Assad's forces have been battling rebels who control swathes of territory.
    NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Tuesday (October 9) the military alliance had plans in place to defend Turkey. He gave no further details, but a senior U.S. defence official said NATO would likely react if Turkey made a request for assistance.
    It is not clear whether the shells that have hit Turkish territory were aimed to strike there or were due to Syrian troops overshooting as they attacked rebel positions. Turkey has provided sanctuary for rebel officers and fighters.
    A sharp rise in casualties in Syria in the past month indicates the growing intensity of the conflict, which spiralled from peaceful protests against Assad's rule in March 2011 into a full-scale civil war.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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