Syrian Mayor thanks Turkey for humanitarian support

Hanefi Molla Ali, the Turkmen mayor of a Syrian town who sought refuge in Turkey after being assaulted by regime-supported Shabiha forces, has expressed gratitude to the Turkish government for its help and support to Syrians fleeing to Turkey, the Anatolia news agency reported on Tuesday. In an interview with the agency Molla Ali, mayor of Latakia's Kastal Maaf town for the past one year, said he had to take refuge in Turkey four days ago due to the situation in Syria adding: "We are grateful to Turkey for its humanitarian assistance to the Syrians. The people in Syria urgently need items such as bread, water and medicine."Molla Ali, an official with ties to the Baath Party, said he was mayor of a town with a population of 9,000 that also included 32 villages, some of which were predominantly Alawite.