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Fears of Escalating Conflict in Syria Grow

Dorian Jones

   ISTANBUL - Fears of an escalating conflict in Syria grew Friday as
   Turkish forces pounded Syria's military in retaliation for the killing
   of 33 Turkish soldiers.

   In the aftermath of the violence, Turkish President Recep Tayyip
   Erdogan said the country would no longer try to keep migrants from
   reaching Europe.

   Thousands of migrants have gathered at Turkey's borders with Greece and
   Bulgaria. Greek police fired tear gas Saturday at migrants trying to
   cross into the country.

   With Turkey already hosting over three-and-a-half million Syrians who
   fled the civil war, Erdogan has said his country can take no more.

   Idlib hosts over 3 million Syrians, the United Nations said this month.
   Nearly a million had been forced from their homes from recent fighting,
   many of whom are already on the Turkish border.

   In a move seen as putting pressure on the European Union, the spokesman
   of the ruling AKP Omer Celik declared Friday Turkey is "no longer able
   to hold refugees," seeking to enter Europe. Local media reported free
   buses were being provided to take people to the border or sea crossing
   points to Greece.

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