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| The Latest: UN says 20,000 Syrians at Turkey border crossing | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| BEIRUT — The Latest on Syria (all times Syria local): | BEIRUT — The Latest on Syria (all times Syria local): |
| 20.00 p.m. | |
| The United Nations estimates that up to 20,000 people displaced by military operations around Aleppo have gathered at the Bab al-Salam border crossing with Turkey. | |
| The deputy spokesman for the U.N. secretary-general, Farhan Haq, told reporters Friday that another 5,000 to 10,000 people have been displaced to Azaz city and 10,000 have been displaced to Afrin. | |
| Haq says the thousands of people are mainly from the Aleppo sub-districts of Tel Rifaat, Hariyatan and Azaz. | |
| The U.N. says the fighting has disrupted major aid routes from the Turkish border. “Ongoing conflict is making access to populations in need increasingly difficult,” Haq said. | |
| ___ | |
| 18.00 p.m. | 18.00 p.m. |
| Turkey’s prime minister says some 15,000 Syrians fleeing Syrian and Russian bombings of Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, have reached Turkey’s borders, adding that tens of thousands more could also be on the way. | Turkey’s prime minister says some 15,000 Syrians fleeing Syrian and Russian bombings of Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, have reached Turkey’s borders, adding that tens of thousands more could also be on the way. |
| In a televised speech Friday, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu promised that Turkey would not leave the displaced “without food or shelter” but did not say whether the country intended to let them in. | In a televised speech Friday, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu promised that Turkey would not leave the displaced “without food or shelter” but did not say whether the country intended to let them in. |
| The border gate between Syria and Turkey was closed on Friday and no refugee has been admitted, prompting the human rights advocacy group Amnesty International to call on Turkey to allow those who have massed at the border to cross in. | The border gate between Syria and Turkey was closed on Friday and no refugee has been admitted, prompting the human rights advocacy group Amnesty International to call on Turkey to allow those who have massed at the border to cross in. |
| Amnesty’s Global Issues Director Sherif Elsayed-Ali says Turkey “must not close its doors to people in desperate need of safety.” | Amnesty’s Global Issues Director Sherif Elsayed-Ali says Turkey “must not close its doors to people in desperate need of safety.” |
| ___ | |
| 17:00 p.m. | 17:00 p.m. |
| A Turkish charity says about 50,000 people fleeing intense fighting in northern Syria have arrived at a Syrian-Turkish border crossing. | A Turkish charity says about 50,000 people fleeing intense fighting in northern Syria have arrived at a Syrian-Turkish border crossing. |
| Serkan Nergis of the Islamic charity IHH says displaced Syrians began streaming toward the Bab al-Salam border crossing Thursday. | Serkan Nergis of the Islamic charity IHH says displaced Syrians began streaming toward the Bab al-Salam border crossing Thursday. |
| Nergis said Friday that the group is setting up tent camps in Syria near the crossing to provide temporary shelter. The charity runs about 10 camps for displaced Syrians along the frontier. | Nergis said Friday that the group is setting up tent camps in Syria near the crossing to provide temporary shelter. The charity runs about 10 camps for displaced Syrians along the frontier. |
| The border was closed Friday, and it was not clear if any of the refugees would be admitted to Turkey. | The border was closed Friday, and it was not clear if any of the refugees would be admitted to Turkey. |
| Earlier this week, Syrian troops backed by allied militias and intense Russian air strikes launched an offensive in northern Syria. It appears aimed at eventually encircling the contested city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest. | Earlier this week, Syrian troops backed by allied militias and intense Russian air strikes launched an offensive in northern Syria. It appears aimed at eventually encircling the contested city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest. |
| ___ | ___ |
| 15.00 p.m. | 15.00 p.m. |
| Iran’s supreme leader says Iranian forces must fight Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq to prevent the militant organization spreading to Iran. | Iran’s supreme leader says Iranian forces must fight Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq to prevent the militant organization spreading to Iran. |
| Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s comments, which were reported by Tasnim news agency Friday, closely followed the announced death of a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander in Syria. | Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s comments, which were reported by Tasnim news agency Friday, closely followed the announced death of a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander in Syria. |
| Iranian officials have said that Iranians have an “obligation” to protect Syrian Shiite shrines. | Iranian officials have said that Iranians have an “obligation” to protect Syrian Shiite shrines. |
| Iran, a longtime ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, acknowledges that Iranian officers are providing an advisory role in Syria, but denies sending combat troops. | Iran, a longtime ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, acknowledges that Iranian officers are providing an advisory role in Syria, but denies sending combat troops. |
| Several Iranian troops, including high-ranking officers, have been killed in Syria. On Saturday Iran will hold a funeral for Gen. Mohsen Ghajarian, a senior commander killed in recent fighting. | Several Iranian troops, including high-ranking officers, have been killed in Syria. On Saturday Iran will hold a funeral for Gen. Mohsen Ghajarian, a senior commander killed in recent fighting. |
| ___ | ___ |
| 12:40 p.m. | 12:40 p.m. |
| Syria’s state news agency SANA and an opposition monitoring group say pro-government troops have taken another northern community as part of a weeklong offensive aimed at encircling the country’s largest city, Aleppo. | Syria’s state news agency SANA and an opposition monitoring group say pro-government troops have taken another northern community as part of a weeklong offensive aimed at encircling the country’s largest city, Aleppo. |
| SANA and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights say troops captured the village of Rityan on Friday. The Observatory says the capture was backed by shelling and airstrikes, including by Russian warplanes. | SANA and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights say troops captured the village of Rityan on Friday. The Observatory says the capture was backed by shelling and airstrikes, including by Russian warplanes. |
| As part of the offensive, which began earlier this week, pro-government troops have recaptured several villages near the Turkish border, sending thousands of area residents fleeing toward Turkey. The territorial gains have driven a west-east wedge into rebel-held areas and brought the government a step closer to being able to encircle contested Aleppo. | As part of the offensive, which began earlier this week, pro-government troops have recaptured several villages near the Turkish border, sending thousands of area residents fleeing toward Turkey. The territorial gains have driven a west-east wedge into rebel-held areas and brought the government a step closer to being able to encircle contested Aleppo. |
| ___ | ___ |
| 12:00 p.m. | 12:00 p.m. |
| NATO’s secretary general says that Russian airstrikes in Syria that mainly target opposition forces are “undermining efforts to find a political solution to the conflict.” | NATO’s secretary general says that Russian airstrikes in Syria that mainly target opposition forces are “undermining efforts to find a political solution to the conflict.” |
| Jens Stoltenberg says that increased Russian air force activity in Syria also is leading to increased violations of Turkish airspace. | Jens Stoltenberg says that increased Russian air force activity in Syria also is leading to increased violations of Turkish airspace. |
| Stoltenberg said Friday that “this creates risks, heightened tensions and is of course a challenge for NATO because they’re violations of NATO’s airspace.” | Stoltenberg said Friday that “this creates risks, heightened tensions and is of course a challenge for NATO because they’re violations of NATO’s airspace.” |
| He was speaking on the sidelines of an informal meeting of European Union defense ministers in Amsterdam. | He was speaking on the sidelines of an informal meeting of European Union defense ministers in Amsterdam. |
| A Turkish fighter jet downed a Russian bomber at the border with Syria on Nov. 24, the first time in more than half a century that a NATO member had shot down a Russian plane. | A Turkish fighter jet downed a Russian bomber at the border with Syria on Nov. 24, the first time in more than half a century that a NATO member had shot down a Russian plane. |
| Turkey said another Russian warplane violated its airspace a week ago, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Moscow that it would be forced to “endure the consequences” if its jets continue to violate Turkish airspace. | Turkey said another Russian warplane violated its airspace a week ago, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Moscow that it would be forced to “endure the consequences” if its jets continue to violate Turkish airspace. |
| ____ | ____ |
| 11:30 a.m. | 11:30 a.m. |
| Turkish officials say thousands of Syrians have massed on the Syrian side of the border seeking refuge in Turkey. | Turkish officials say thousands of Syrians have massed on the Syrian side of the border seeking refuge in Turkey. |
| Officials at the government’s crisis management agency said Friday it was not clear when Turkey would open the border to allow the group in and start processing them. | Officials at the government’s crisis management agency said Friday it was not clear when Turkey would open the border to allow the group in and start processing them. |
| The refugees who fled bombing in Aleppo, were waiting at the Bab al-Salam crossing, opposite the Turkish province of Kilis. | The refugees who fled bombing in Aleppo, were waiting at the Bab al-Salam crossing, opposite the Turkish province of Kilis. |
| Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told a donors’ conference in London Thursday that some 10,000 Syrians were at the border, and as many as 70,000 others were on the way. Amateur video showed thousands, including women and children, running with their belongings toward the frontier. | Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told a donors’ conference in London Thursday that some 10,000 Syrians were at the border, and as many as 70,000 others were on the way. Amateur video showed thousands, including women and children, running with their belongings toward the frontier. |
| Turkey has taken in more than 2.5 million Syrians since the civil war began in 2011. | Turkey has taken in more than 2.5 million Syrians since the civil war began in 2011. |
| ___ | ___ |
| 11:00 a.m. | 11:00 a.m. |
| A Britain-based monitoring group reports that the Syrian Army and allied militias have retaken a town at the doorstep of Daraa, a contested city that lies between Damascus and the Jordan border. | A Britain-based monitoring group reports that the Syrian Army and allied militias have retaken a town at the doorstep of Daraa, a contested city that lies between Damascus and the Jordan border. |
| The conquest opens several supply routes to Daraa, which is divided between government and opposition fighters, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says. | The conquest opens several supply routes to Daraa, which is divided between government and opposition fighters, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says. |
| Daraa was the scene of some of the first protests against President Bashar Assad in 2011 and holds symbolic value in the narrative of the uprising that has since collapsed into a vicious civil war. | Daraa was the scene of some of the first protests against President Bashar Assad in 2011 and holds symbolic value in the narrative of the uprising that has since collapsed into a vicious civil war. |
| Syria’s official news agency says the offensive on Atman, north of Daraa, scattered rebel forces — which it labels terrorists. | Syria’s official news agency says the offensive on Atman, north of Daraa, scattered rebel forces — which it labels terrorists. |
| Troops advanced under the cover of heavy artillery bombardment and air power, the Observatory reports. | Troops advanced under the cover of heavy artillery bombardment and air power, the Observatory reports. |
| Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |