Syrian refugees test tolerance in Turkish cities
The first Syrian refugees to enter Turkey started to cross the border in April 2011. Their plight was not fully known back then, but the expectations were that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his regime would be deposed in six months to a year, and that the refugees would all soon go back to their homes. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised them the borders would remain open for those who escaped to safety in Turkey without taking into consideration whether they had their passports or proof of identification with them. Since then it has been three years, and the number of Syrians in Turkey is now estimated to be around 1,500,000.
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