Syrian army defectors flee into Turkey

Eight Syrian army officers including a general fled to Turkey overnight to join the swelling ranks of rebels based near the border, a Turkish diplomat said Monday as tensions escalated between the two neighbours.

One general, two colonels and five other army officers including two majors, accompanied by their 24 family members, crossed into Turkey late on Sunday, a Turkish diplomat said. In addition to the defectors, 28 Syrian civilians,
mostly women and children, fled to Turkey and were taken to a camp in Sanliurfa province near the border.

But the defectors, together with their families, were taken to Apaydin camp in Hatay province, some four kilometres (2.5 miles) from the border, which mainly houses army deserters and their families.

The Turkish foreign ministry has barred access to the camp for journalists, blocking any interviews with the rebels or photo coverage. It is not known what the defectors do in the camps but sources say they leave regularly to help
other refugees make the hazardous trip across the border.

But the diplomat said most of the defectors preferred to remain inside the camp for security reasons, adding that they were leading regular lives like ordinary individuals. The latest defection brought to 13 the number of generals
seeking refuge in Turkey since the revolt against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime erupted 16 months ago.

“The defecting generals used to play key roles in the Syrian army,” said the Turkish diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Each defector, especially if he is a general, brings with him many lower-ranking officers and soldiers,”
he added.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=27019

Posted by Hamza Jahangir on Jun 25 2012. Filed under World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry