Syria halts refugee move

HATAY

The deployment of the Syrian Army near the Turkish border and extremely cold weather in the region has practically halted Syrian refugee migration to Turkey, Turkish Foreign Ministry sources told the Hürriyet Daily News yesterday. According to an official, so far 9,750 asylum seekers are living in tent cities in the southern province of Hatay. The official also said in the recent past 10 to 15 people had been fleeing to Turkey every day. However, Syrians who want to flee from their country are having difficulties due to cold weather and the Syrian Army’s oppression on the way to the border. Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoğlu told the Hürriyet Daily News on Feb. 5 Turkey’s doors were “open to all Syrians who want to flee from oppression.”