Syria's Turkmen have asked for Turkey's help to stop them being driven out of their homeland by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants, on Wednesday Anadolu News Agency reported.
Huseyin Abdullah Dede, Deputy Chairman of the Assembly of Syria Aleppo Turkmen, called for Turkey's government, political parties and citizens to support their struggle against the militants.
"We do not want Syrian Turkmen to be refugees," said Dede. "People are coming to the Turkish side of the Turkey-Syria border due to clashes in the region. We want to stay in our homelands and do not want to be a burden to anyone."
Dede claimed the issue needs to be discussed at Geneva II so that pathways for humanitarian aid into blockaded Turkmen regions can be made. He added that ten people have died of hunger so far.
Hamis Turk, a representative for Turkey's southeastern Gaziantep city, says that Syrian Turkmen have been fighting against ISIL by themselves and need Turkey's assistance.
"The only place where we can shelter is Turkey, but we don't want to shelter as refugees. We want Turkey's support," he said.