ANKARA, Turkey – A Turkish official says a few thousand Syrian refugees are waiting on the Syrian side of the border amid a delay in bringing them across due to more stringent security checks in Turkey.
The tighter checks come amid Turkish fears that Kurdish rebels fighting for self-rule in southeast Turkey may be coming in through Syria. There are also concerns that foreign jihadists are moving in and out of Turkey to fight the Syrian regime.
A government official said Monday Turkey was providing emergency aid to the refugees while they wait to be processed. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Turkey hosts more than 80,000 Syrian refugees, and has called on the U.N. to set up camps inside Syria.
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