Forest fire in Latakia spreads to Turkey

HATAY - Anatolia News Agency

A forest fire in the Syrian city of Latakia spread across the border into Turkey yesterday, damaging two hectars of land in the southeastern Hatay province. Turkish officials worked with air and land teams in efforts to extinguish the fire. One helicopter poured water and six water tenders were used.

Turkey is currently hosting over 24,000 Syrian migrants who fled from the ongoing violence in their country over a year ago now. Yesterday, 175 Syrians, including eight defected soldiers, entered Turkey. A majority of the migrants, including children and women, would be sent to camps in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa. However, eight soldiers will stay in the Apaydın Camp in the southeastern province of Hatay. 

Turkish Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD) said that there were 24,433 Syrians currently staying in Turkey after fleeing clashes in their country. In a written statement released Friday, AFAD said that Syrians staying in Turkey were living in Altınözü, Yayladağı, Reyhanlı, Apaydın and Karbeyaz towns of the southern province of Hatay as well as in the southern provinces of Şanlıurfa (Ceylanpınar), Gaziantep (Islahiye) and Kilis.