Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

ISTANBUL: Syrian Armenians from Kessab continue to flee to Turkey

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • ISTANBUL: Syrian Armenians from Kessab continue to flee to Turkey

    Today's Zaman, Turkey
    April 6 2014

    Syrian Armenians from Kessab continue to flee to Turkey

    6 April 2014, Sunday /Ä°STANBUL, TODAY'S ZAMAN


    A group of Syrian Armenians entered Turkey on Saturday from Syria's
    northwestern town of Kessab, just across from YayladaÄ?ı in the
    southern Turkish province of Hatay, accompanied by Syrian rebel
    forces.

    According to the private DoÄ?an news agency, 18 Syrian Armenians were
    brought to the YayladaÄ?ı border gate by members of the Free Syrian
    Army (FSA). The Syrian Armenians were reportedly welcomed by Turkish
    officials, including the district governor, the chief of the YayladaÄ?ı
    Police Department and border officers.

    The Syrian Armenians living in Kessab had reportedly asked the
    Western-backed FSA fighters to help them cross over into Turkey. After
    the rebels escorted them to the border crossing and some necessary
    paperwork was done, the Kessab Armenians were brought to a teachers'
    lodge in YayladaÄ?ı. YayladaÄ?ı District Governor Turan Yılmaz is
    reported to have been personally involved in meeting the Syrian
    Armenians' needs.

    The clashes around Kessab have been ongoing for more than 10 days
    according to Turkish media. The Syrian Armenians decided to flee the
    fighting between rebels and forces loyal to the Syrian regime near
    Kessab.

    Two Armenian sisters from Kessab, Satenik (82) and Surpuhi (80)
    Titizyan also arrived in YayladaÄ?ı last week after being escorted by
    Syrian rebels to the Turkish-Syrian border.

    Most of the Armenian residents of Kessab fled after the clashes began.
    Fighters from an array of rebel groups, including the al-Qaeda-linked
    al-Nusra Front -- designated as a terrorist group by the US -- then
    seized control of the town on March 16. After rebels seized the Kessab
    crossing point, the fighting continued in other towns that are not on
    the border with Turkey, mainly in Latakia province.

    Foreign Minister Ahmet DavutoÄ?lu said Turkey's doors are `wide open'
    to the largely Armenian residents of Kessab. His remarks came after
    the Syrian government, as well as several Armenian websites, had
    claimed the rebels entered Syria from Turkey. In a strongly worded
    statement released on March 24, the Armenian National Committee of
    America (ANCA) quoted its chairman, Ken Hachikian, as saying, "The
    attacks on the predominantly Armenian-populated village of Kessab over
    the weekend represent an attack on all Armenians.' ANCA asked the US
    Congress and the White House to put pressure on Turkey to end its
    alleged support for Syrian rebels.

    The Turkish Foreign Ministry said on March 26 that the claims of
    alleged Turkish support for Syrian opposition forces in Kessab by
    allowing them to use Turkish territory or in any other manner were
    `entirely baseless.'

    http://www.todayszaman.com/news-343951-syrian-armenians-from-kessab-continue-to-flee-to-turkey.html

Working...
X