WORLD / Society

U.N. deputy secretary-general urges Turkey to keep border open if Aleppo strife sparks mass flight

Turkish tanks fire from their army position near the Oncupinar crossing gate close to the town of Kilis, south central Turkey, toward the Syria border, on Feb. 17. Alarmed by the advances of Syrian Kurdish forces in Aleppo province near the border, Ankara has in recent days bombed their positions, defying international calls for a halt to the strikes. | AFP-JIJI

Reuters

Feb 23, 2016

ANKARA –

U.N. second in command Jan Eliasson said on Monday he was discussing with Turkish officials whether they can open the border to the thousands fleeing fighting in Aleppo in case the violence reaches where they are huddled on the Syrian side.

Close to 100,000 people are locked out of Turkey near the Oncupinar border crossing after they fled escalating airstrikes and a Syrian government assault on Aleppo, with humanitarian aid from Turkish relief agencies provided inside Syria.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly said he prefers the setting up of a "safe zone" perimeter inside Syria border where displaced people would be protected from attack.

U.N. deputy secretary-general urges Turkey to keep border open if Aleppo strife sparks mass flight

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