KESSAB, Syria (A.W.)—Turkey is building a concrete wall topped with barbed wire on its border with Syria. According to Turkish authorities, the purpose of the wall is to “stop the passage of militants.”
A construction vehicle drives past wall panels that will be used to build a wall along the border between Turkey and Syria, near the southeastern town of Deliosman in Kilis province, Turkey. (Photo: Reuters/Umit Bektas)
The first section of the wall, which is now complete, was built around the heavily Armenian-populated town of Kessab, west of Idlib province in Syria. According to Russian-based Sputnik news, construction of the wall has currently moved to the city of Kamishli in the east. The height of the wall is reported to be about three meters, excluding the barbed wire.
The wall will help guards to monitor the border and see who crosses it, according to Turkish authorities. Syrian government officials do not support construction of the wall, however, especially since Turkey did not clarify the exact borders with Syria prior to beginning construction. According to some reports, Turkey has been questioned about acquiring small amounts of Syrian land during this construction process.
Since the beginning of the Syrian Civil War, the Syrian-Turkish border—which is about 822 km long—witnessed large amounts of armed militants crossing into Syria from Turkey.
Sputnik also released the video below, showing the construction.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQzSFiZxukU]
Source: Armenian Weekly
Link: Turkey Building Wall on Syrian Border; Section Around Kessab Complete