Footage shows Syrians scaling Turkish border wall with ladders

HATAY

As Syrian and Russian warplanes bombed Idlib, one of the last strongholds of the opposition, footage shared on social media showed some Syrians scaling the border wall and entering Turkey.

Citing videos shared by Syrians that a number of migrants are seen scaling the wall with ladders, local media reported that the breach, caused by the latest airstrikes in Idlib, happened near the southern Turkish province of Hatay’s Altınözü district.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sept. 7 called for a ceasefire to prevent a “bloodbath” in Idlib.

A new refugee wave has already started but “Turkey’s capacity to host migrants” has filled up, Erdoğan said at a three-way summit in Tehran with the leaders of Russia and Iran.

Turkey has expanded the Atmeh refugee camp on the Syrian side of the border and reinforced its 12 observation stations in Idlib ahead of the looming battle.

The United Nations worries the offensive could force 2.5 million people toward the Turkish border.

An offensive is likely to first strike southwest Idlib and the al-Ghab plains, which overlook the coastal area where Russia has its military and naval bases. Another front for the offensive is from the south and southeast, which would restore government control over an essential highway that runs between Syria’s major cities.

The area, controlled by rebels since 2015, has been a target of airstrikes by the government and Russia for months, leaving its infrastructure, schools and hospitals in desperate conditions.

Thousands of refugees had fled to Turkey after the regime assault targeting Aleppo in 2016.