More Syrian refugees come to Hatay camps

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Syrian refugees walk past tents at the Boynuyogun Turkish Red Crescent camp in the Altinozu district of Hatay, near the Syrian border, on June 12, 2011.

The number of Syrian refugees in sheltering camps in Hatay has risen from 7,500 to 9,200 in the last 1.5 months, while the new container camps built for Syrian refugees in the southern city of Kilis has the capacity to house 10,000 people, sources from the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.

Syrian refugees who have already fled are waiting to be relocated to Kilis, the newly built container houses in the southern province. Ministry sources say the capacity of the container camp in Kilis is larger than Hatay, “just in case the refugee influx from Syria continues.”

Syrian refugees are expected to be transferred from Hatay to Kilis in the next two months. As well as aiming to combine both camps in one location to protect civilians from harsh winter conditions, the Turkish Foreign Ministry also aims to stop the daily flow of Syrian refugees back and forth from Syria by moving the camps away from the border. Thousands of Syrians have sought refuge in Turkey due to the ongoing violence in their country and are currently living in shelter camps in Hatay, which borders Syria.