02:18Turkey: Kilis governor blames Russian airstrikes for surge in refugees
The governor of Kilis, Suleyman Tapsiz gave a statement to the press at the Oncupinar boarding crossing, Saturday, blaming Russian airstrikes and the Syrian Army's advance on Aleppo for the recent influx of refugees to the Turkish-Syrian border.
"The important thing here is the international community should show the willpower to stop the Russian airstrikes on innocent people, immediately. If this could be managed then there won’t be any mass migration in our region which we are currently experiencing now," Tapsiz stated.
Tapsiz went on to say that “if this cannot be managed and the Russian air strikes continue there is a good chance that around at least seventy thousand, maybe more, migrants will come to our region from Aleppo."
Russia has repeatedly stated that they are not targeting opposition fighters or civilians, but are striking IS and other Islamist groups.
Discussing Turkey's support for the arriving refugees, the governor of Kilis said: "We have the ability to host fifty - sixty thousand people in the eight camps which have been established under control of our governance already, and we also have the ability to absorb another thirty-five thousand newcomers. A good condition for thirty-five thousand people has already been established on that site. Therefore there is no need for us to take them into Turkey at the moment."
"We have provided shelter for a thousand people in only one day. And we are still supplying all sorts of needs, all sorts of humanitarian need of those people, step by step by erecting new tents, establishing new camps, and new settlements," he added.
The embattled city of Aleppo is divided into government-controlled areas and zones controlled by anti-Assad forces. On January 4, the Syrian Arab Army and militias loyal to the Syrian government, successfully lifted the siege by anti-government fighters on the towns of al-Zahraa and Nubl, marking the first major attack north of Aleppo by government forces since Russian airstrikes began on September 30.
02:18The governor of Kilis, Suleyman Tapsiz gave a statement to the press at the Oncupinar boarding crossing, Saturday, blaming Russian airstrikes and the Syrian Army's advance on Aleppo for the recent influx of refugees to the Turkish-Syrian border.
"The important thing here is the international community should show the willpower to stop the Russian airstrikes on innocent people, immediately. If this could be managed then there won’t be any mass migration in our region which we are currently experiencing now," Tapsiz stated.
Tapsiz went on to say that “if this cannot be managed and the Russian air strikes continue there is a good chance that around at least seventy thousand, maybe more, migrants will come to our region from Aleppo."
Russia has repeatedly stated that they are not targeting opposition fighters or civilians, but are striking IS and other Islamist groups.
Discussing Turkey's support for the arriving refugees, the governor of Kilis said: "We have the ability to host fifty - sixty thousand people in the eight camps which have been established under control of our governance already, and we also have the ability to absorb another thirty-five thousand newcomers. A good condition for thirty-five thousand people has already been established on that site. Therefore there is no need for us to take them into Turkey at the moment."
"We have provided shelter for a thousand people in only one day. And we are still supplying all sorts of needs, all sorts of humanitarian need of those people, step by step by erecting new tents, establishing new camps, and new settlements," he added.
The embattled city of Aleppo is divided into government-controlled areas and zones controlled by anti-Assad forces. On January 4, the Syrian Arab Army and militias loyal to the Syrian government, successfully lifted the siege by anti-government fighters on the towns of al-Zahraa and Nubl, marking the first major attack north of Aleppo by government forces since Russian airstrikes began on September 30.