State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland commended the Turkey for the humanitarian work it has undertaken to shelter Syrian refugees and added that the Turkey-Syria border should remain open despite concerns over potential clashes near the border.
Nuland also stated that Washington has been “very impressed and gratified” by Turkish willingness to provide a safe haven for Syrian refugees. “I think the whole world has seen the pictures of the very pristine camps that Turkey has set up and has seen the interviews with these poor people who have fled their homes,” said Nuland.
An estimated 11,000 Syrian refugees took shelter in Turkey to escape violence in Syria. The refugees are staying in five temporary camps located in the southern province of Hatay. Approximately 2,000 tents have been set up in the region, and the sites feature sanitary facilities, kitchens and hospitals under the management of the Turkish Red Crescent and Turkish disaster relief authorities.
According to the Turkish Disaster Relief Agency, Turkey has also extended humanitarian aid to Syrians who are encamped just across the border inside Syria.
