The number of Syrian refugees housed in camps in southern Turkey has exceeded 100 000, the Turkish disaster management agency (AFAD) said on Monday, Oct 15, a level beyond which Ankara had previously said it would struggle to accommodate more, according to Today’s Zaman.
AFAD said in a statement there were now 100 363 Syrians at more than a dozen camps in Turkish provinces along the border.
Turkey earlier signaled that it would weigh plans to establish a safety zone within Syrian territory if it is faced with a massive influx of refugees. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said in August that Turkey would not accept more than 100 000 refugees and that the creation of a buffer zone could be necessary to contain a refugee flow onto its soil.