Tensions Rise On Syrian-Turkey Border

Turkey has put its armed forces deployed on the border with Syria in a state of alert since Thursday evening, following reports on the arrival of a number of Syrian military defectors from the into the territory of Turkey. A Turkish source familiar with situation said Syrian forces backed by tanks were operating close to the Turkish border. They have launched combing operations just 500 meters from the Turkish border. The operations are believed to be carried out in order to locate Syrians fleeing toward Turkey.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has expressed its concern to the Syrian authorities regarding the approach of Syrian military forces to the Syrian Turkish border, warning of the seriousness of this matter. It seems that the phone call that took place between the two foreign ministers yesterday had addressed this topic. The second in command of the Turkish armed forces Gen. Tharwat Aorruk paid a field visit to the Turkish troops stationed on the Turkish-Syrian border. This indicates the concern of the Turkish military by the movements of the Syrian army to the villages along the common border. Turkey, thus, dispatched military reinforcements to the border areas, according to the Turkish media.

Meanwhile, some 1500 Syrian refugees arrived yesterday to Turkey yesterday. They confirmed that the Syrian army closes all the roads leading to the Turkish border, in an attempt to prevent the flow of refugees, pointing out that a number of snipers stationed on high-rise buildings near the Turkish border. They are targeting citizens fleeing to Turkey .