(Telegraph-UK) Syrian security forces have adopted a shoot-on-sight policy to prevent refugees fleeing across the border into Turkey, according to families who have braved the journey in the past week. Human rights campaigners say they are investigating dozens of reports that civilians have been shot dead as they try to cross. Mohammed, a former policeman, described how when he was about 15 minutes' drive from the border they were flagged down by a policeman. After checking their driver's documents, he waved them on. "When we started to drive on we saw a burnt-out car hidden in the trees and then they started shooting. They had given us permission to go but it was an ambush." His wife was killed. "They are just shooting at anyone who gets close to the border," said a Syrian man who has been arranging for refugees to cross.
2011-08-18 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive