Turkey PM, security officials meet over Syria unrest

Deputy Premier Besir Atalay, Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin, Interior Minister Idris Naim Sahin and Turkish intelligence undersecretary Hakan Fidan, as well as governors from the border cities attended the meeting, which was held in Erdogan’s office, on Monday.

    According to Turkish media, the rising number of Syrian refugees arriving in Turkey and reports of violence at the refugee camps prompted the meeting. It also comes amid reports that Turkey is planning to establish a buffer zone on the Syrian soil.


According to official Turkish data, the number of Syrian refugees in Turkey has reached around 60,000. Turkey currently has eight tent refugee camps in the border cities of Gaziantep, Sanliurfa and Hatay.

    Tensions are high at Syrian refugee camps in Turkey, where refugees are living in poor conditions and suffering from lack of food and water.


Syria has repeatedly criticized Turkey for supporting and arming insurgents fighting against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Turkish military has recently equipped insurgents fighting against the Syrian government with surface-to-air Stinger missiles during a brief incursion into the Syrian soil.

    The NBC News also reported on July 31 that nearly two dozen MANPADs (man-portable air-defense systems) have been delivered to the insurgents in Syria by Turkey.


Syria has been the scene of deadly unrest since mid-March, 2011 and many people, including large numbers of army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on August 1 that the country is engaged in a ''crucial and heroic'' battle that will determine the destiny of the nation.