Syrian refugees in Turkey tops 100,000

GlobalPost

According to a new statement by the Turkish Disaster Management Agency, or AFAD, the number of Syrian refugees now in Turkey has topped 100,000. 

In the statement the AFAD reports that as of Monday, there are exactly 100,363 Syrians at 14 camps along the 565-mile border between the two countries. The AFAD noted that the construction of new camps was not keeping up with the increased demand, but that they would, "continue our open-door policy as long as we can handle it but for the international community that shouldn't be the point."

According to the Wall Street Journal, in the beginning of the Syrian conflict, the Turkish government said 100,000 refugees would mark a tipping point in how many people the AFAD could handle.

But many activist groups say that is not enough.

The Wall Street Journal noted that many campaigners, including Human Rights Watch, have said that Ankara is preventing thousands of refugees who are still in the line of fire are stranded on Syrian territory and barred from entering Turkey.

But a Turkish official denied this claim, according to the Financial Times, saying those on the Syrian side purposefully are not crossing the boarder because they heard the refugee camps are full. 

The tension between Turkey and Syria has been steadily building after a rogue shell from Syria landed on the Turkish border town of Akcakale on Oct. 4. The shell killed five Turkish citizens.

Since then, both countries have restricted their air space and have continued shelling each other across their boarders. 

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