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Turkey calls for UN safe zones at Syria border

Türkiye Materials 24 September 2014 11:55 (UTC +04:00)
Turkey calls for UN safe zones at Syria border
Turkey calls for UN safe zones at Syria border

The need for United Nations safe zones at the Syrian border is once again on Turkey's agenda as a new flood of refugees from Syria pour into the country amid attacks by ISIL militants Anadoly Agency reported

The number of Syrian people fleeing to Turkey from the Kurdish city of Kobani had risen to 130,000 since Friday, Turkish officials said on Tuesday.

Both Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu have mentioned the importance of safe zones in recent remarks to the media.

Erdogan mentioned the need for zones in a press conference just before leaving for New York on Sunday.

And in a televised interview on Monday night, Davutoglu pointed out the increase in refugee flows triggered by U.S. airstrikes on ISIL targets in Iraq and Syria.

The prime minister said: "We found it would be more legitimate for Turkey to be part of the actions if a safe zone was built to ease the refugee burden on the country."

"Every airstrike can create a new refugee flow. We have to take precautions accordingly."

Regime enemy

Turkey has requested safe zones in Syria since 2012 from the UN, but could not find the necessary international support.

Russia, the staunchest ally of the Syrian regime, has vetoed all draft proposals at the U.N. Security Council envisaging any military measures on the administration.

However, observers said that Russia may not veto this time, as the safe zones will aim to create protection from ISIL, also an enemy of the Syrian regime.

Also, no opposition from the regime of President Bashar al-Assad has been seen towards the U.S. attacks on Syrian territory against ISIL.

UN-built safe zones are aimed at protecting civilians in their territories, as has happened before in Bosnia and Iraq.

The security of safe zones, as laid out in the seventh Chapter of the U.N. Charter, is provided by multinational security forces from UN members.

The safe zones could be supported with buffer zones and no-fly zones if necessary.

In 1991, the UN established a safe zone in northern Iraq shortly after the first Gulf War to protect the Kurdish population.

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