Syria calls on refugees in Turkey to come home

Damascus yesterday called for the return of thousands of refugees who fled to Turkey to escape violence, saying peace has been restored in a restive town where the government says 120 security personnel were killed by "armed gangs" last week. More than 8,000 Syrians have crossed the border with Turkey while thousands waited on the Syrian side of the border as the Syrian army began an operation in Jisr al-Shughour. In a statement, the Syrian Prime Ministry said yesterday that Syrians in Turkey should return home since peace has been restored in Jisr al-Shughour. It added that the Syrian Red Crescent Society has been told to cooperate with the Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay) to facilitate the return of Syrians.