Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

MSF Urges Turkey to Open Border to around 100,000 Displaced Syrians | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
Select Page
Media ID: 55351857
Caption:

Internally displaced Syrians are seen at a shelter near the Bab al-Salam crossing, across from Turkey’s Kilis province, on the outskirts of the northern border town of Azaz, Syria. Reuters


London-International medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres on Thursday urged Turkey to open its border to some 100,000 displaced Syrians trapped by fighting including a recent ISIS advance.

Fighting near the Turkish border in northern Aleppo province intensified last week when ISIS launched an attack against rebel groups, advancing towards the town of Azaz in clashes that NGOs said sent thousands of civilians fleeing.

The United Nations said tens of thousands are already sheltering near the Turkish frontier having fled fighting earlier this year.

“After countless displacements from military offensives, there is no place left for these people to escape to,” MSF Middle East operations manager Pablo Marco said in a statement.

“The Turkish government and the Turkish people are making an immense effort to help Syrian refugees” with Turkey hosting almost 3 million people already, he said.

“But today the people of Azaz can only count on them. We ask Turkey to show this generosity once again and open its border to those trapped in Azaz.”

MSF, which supports dozens of hospitals inside Syria, had to evacuate patients and staff from a hospital in the Azaz area as the fighting got closer.

Five civilians were killed and seven others were injured on Thursday as a result of an attack carried out by the Syrian regime on al-Amriyeh neighborhood in Aleppo province.

Anadolu agency quoted Civil Defense officials in Aleppo as saying that regime forces targeted civilian areas, which fall under the control of opposition forces in al-Amriyeh.

The assault also caused heavy material damage, said the officials.