A Syrian refugee and high school student living in Regina has been awarded the Loran Award, one of Canada’s most prestigious merit-based awards.

The Pentagon chief said the plan was still in the discussion phase and had not yet been presented to President Donald Trump.

“Like rats, America is running away,” one man shouted in Arabic.

Shelling and gunfire could be heard in and around Ras al-Ayn as smoke billowed from locations near the border with Turkey and the Turkish town of Ceylanpinar.

"I have worked hard to solve some of your problems. Don't let the world down. You can make a great deal," said Trump in the letter.

The offensive has created a new refugee crisis in a region where some 1.6 million people already rely on humanitarian aid.

Trump suggested Wednesday that a Kurdish group was a greater terror threat than the Islamic State group.

Condemnation of his stance was quick and severe, not only from Democrats but from Republicans who have been staunch Trump supporters on virtually all issues.

The U.N. refugee agency said tens of thousands of civilians were on the move, trying to escape.

The group says the children are innocent and have rights as Canadian citizens who should be repatriated.