Up To 70000 Syrian Refugees Expected To Invade Turkey
As the Syrian armed conflict enters its fifth year, the embattled Assad-led regime appears poised to tilt the war to its favor propped up by Russia's overt participation through air strikes as well as ground support by Hezbollah and Iran.
Aleppo, once the country's most populous city, is now on the verge of being retaken by government forces. The city is strategically important for the rebels- it serves as the lifeline for the opposition. The rebels fear that if the Russian-backed Assad regime manages to break through, their supply route will be cut off.
"In the last three days, Aleppo came under attack from Russian warplanes as well as regime force and foreign fighters fighting along them. They are trying to siege Aleppo and condemn it starvation," remarked Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as quoted saying by Bloomberg News.
Recent estimates put the number of Syrian refugees amassing near the border with Turkey to 70, 000 as Assad forces continue to pummel through the rebels' defenses. As the threat grows, 40, 000 Syrians have already fled to escape death and starvation. But the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) think the number could well go over to 100, 000 if rebels cannot restore the vital supply links from Turkey.
"People have been fleeing Aleppo since last week and heading to the Turkish borders but the Turks are not allowing them to enter. They have been sleeping in the fields without any protection in this cold weather," said Syrian activist Bahaa al-Halabi as he described the impending humanitarian crisis that will likely affect Turkey as mentioned in a report by The Guardian.
Meanwhile, the UK-facilitated donors meeting for the Syrian refugee crisis yielded a total of $11 billion in aid for the next five years.
"Our message to the people of Syria and the region is clear - we will stand with you and support you for as long as it takes," said British Prime Minister David Cameron in the conference as stated by The Telegraph.
