☰

Global

Turkish deputy PM says 45,000 Syrian Kurds enter Turkey, fleeing Islamic State advance


    ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Saturday 45,000 Syrian Kurds had crossed into Turkey over the past day, fleeing an advance by Islamic State militants after Ankara opened a stretch of the border.

    "Around 45,000 Syrian Kurds have crossed the border as of now from eight entrance points along a 30 km distance from Akcakale to Mursitpinar since we opened the border yesterday," Kurtulmus told CNN Turk television.

    (Reporting by Asli Kandemir; Writing by Nick Tattersall; Editing by Toby Chopra)