Number of Syrian citizens taking shelter in Turkey reaches 16,375

HATAY (AA) - March 20, 2012 - The number of Syrian citizens, who left their country due to clashes and entered Turkey to take shelter, reached 16,375. Foreign Ministry officials told AA on Tuesday that 460 Syrians entered Turkey on Monday, and they were welcomed by security forces, and escorted to tent cities in southern Hatay province. Meanwhile, 113 Syrians returned to their country the same day. The wave of "Arab Spring" reached Syria on March 15, 2011 and Syrian people started to protest the government in a small southern city. The government responded with heavy-handed force, and demonstrations quickly spread across much of the country. Thousands of people are reported to be killed in ongoing protests in Syria so far. Syria was expelled from the Arab League after it agreed to a peace plan only to step up attacks on protesters. In late 2011 and early 2012, Syria agreed to allow league observers into the country. But their presence did nothing to slow the violence. In February, the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to approve a resolution condemning President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown on the uprising, but China and Russia have blocked all efforts by the United Nations, the Arab League and others for a more forceful intervention. In November 2011, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu unveiled a list of nine sanctions on Syria.