Turkey in new drill near Syrian border

KİLİS / KAYSERİ

Accompanied by advanced armored personnel carriers and tactical missile-launching platforms, the Turkish tanks have been deployed a border crossing near to Syria. AA photo

The Turkish army has staged a new military drill near its border with Syria, in its latest show of force in the face of growing mobilization in northern Syria and escalating violence in the country.

Turkish tanks accompanied by advanced armored personnel carriers and tactical missile-launching platforms were deployed at the Öncüpınar crossing in southern Kilis province for the drill. Yesterday’s drill followed several previous military exercises staged at the Syrian border after the government warned that it would pursue militants into Syria if necessary.Meanwhile, Turkey is planning to open new shelter centers with a capacity of 5,250 people in seven cities for Syrian refugees fleeing to Turkey to escape the violence in Syria.

Turkey will build shelter centers with 750 beds each in Ankara, Erzurum, Gaziantep, İzmir, Kayseri, Kırklareli and Van, under a project of the Interior Ministry.

Seventy-five percent of the total cost of the project will be covered by EU funds, and the rest will be covered by Turkey. The shelter centers are expected to open in 2014.