Turks build another refugee camp as Syrians flee fighting

Yesterday Turkey’s newly re-elected prime minister gave his support to a British-backed effort to put pressure on neighbouring Syria through a resolution at the United Nations Security Council.

As reports emerged that hundreds of refugees were massing on Turkey’s northern border, Recep Tayyip Erdogan assured David Cameron of his backing for the move in a phone call, during which the Prime Minister congratulated him on securing a third successive election victory for his Justice and Development Party.

More than 5,000 Syrians have already fled into the country from the town of Jisr al-Shughour as the Damascus regime cracked down on unrest which it claims cost the lives of 120 members of the security forces last week.

Elite Syrian troops backed by helicopters and tanks seized control of the town on Sunday in the most significant use of force since protests began in mid-March.

Townspeople who reached the Turkish border said that elements of the security forces had mutinied against the Government forces in Jisr al-Shughour on June 3 rather than obey orders to turn their guns against unarmed civilians.

The government response was brutal, with troops led by the brother of President Bashar Assad shelling the town as helicopter gunships hovered overhead, before tanks and armoured cars moved in.

The use of elite troops led by Maher Assad served as a signal to would-be rebels elsewhere in Syria that the government would respond firmly to any defiance, but might also indicate that the regime was no longer confident of the loyalty of conscripts.

Syria’s government has said that 500 members of the security forces have died in the unrest, including 120 last week in Jisr al-Shughour. Activists say that more than 1,400 Syrians have died and 10,000 have been detained.

Turkey, about 12 miles away, has given sanctuary to more than 6,000 fleeing Syrians, nearly all of them in the past few days from Idlib province.

In an apparent anticipation of more refugees, workers of the Turkish Red Crescent, the equivalent of the Red Cross, began building a fourth tent camp near the border.

Arab neighbours have largely avoided criticisms of Syria’s actions, but Mr Erdogan has accused the Assad regime of “savagery”.

Downing Street said Mr Cameron and Mr Erdogan discussed events in Syria during their phone call.

“They noted that the situation had deteriorated markedly in the last week and agreed that the violence was a cause for deep concern,” said Mr Cameron’s official spokesman. “They agreed on the importance of international unity in response to a crisis that is increasingly dangerous for the Syrian people and the region.

“Prime Minister Erdogan welcomed the UK’s efforts to put pressure on the regime through a Security Council resolution and they agreed that Britain and Turkey should work hand in hand to achieve this.”

United States officials say the crackdown has created a humanitarian crisis and have called for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to be allowed into Syria. An ICRC spokesman said: “No one is aware of the real magnitude of the problem and this is a big issue.”

Meanwhile, international Middle East envoy Tony Blair said early hopes that President Assad would prove to be a reformer in Syria appeared to have been proved wrong.