UN Calls on Turkey: ‘Open Borders to Refugees’

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United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has called on Turkey to open its borders to the thousands of Syrian refugees who have fled Aleppo for Turkey.

In the statement, it has been pointed out that Turkey’s concerns of “mass refugee influx” was understandable yet it should be reminded that Turkey had also international obligations.

According to the report of Imogen Foulkes from BBC, UNHCR Spokesperson William Spindler has said; “We are aware that Turkey has taken on a huge burden yet the refugees waiting on the Syrian side of the border should be accepted without any delay. Providing help on Syrian grounds are of course important but it does not replace international obligations regarding ensuring a safe environment for the ones on the run”.

Doctors without Borders  (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF), has declared on its Twitter account that the number of the patients in the hospitals on Syria-Turkey border has increased by 50% over the last two days. In his statement to AFP News Agency, MSF Spokesperson Ahmed el-Muhammed has pointed out that there had been no room left in the refugee camps in the region.

Hosting Germany’s Prime Minister Angela Merkel yesterday (February 8) in Ankara, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu had said; “No one can expect Turkey to take all the responsibility of the entire issue of refugees just saying ‘Turkey accepts Syrian refugees anyway and takes on all the burden’”. (ÇT/DG)