Turkey steps up aid as Syrian refugees exceed 157.000

The Prime Ministry's Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD) announced on Friday concrete figures surrounding health and education services being provided in Turkish refugee camps where more than 157,000 Syrian refugees are currently being housed. According to AFAD, health clinics operating in the 15 camps in the country currently provide health services to 4,900 patients daily. Doctors have performed 8,770 surgeries to date, while 954 pregnant women have received health checks and doctors have assisted in 2,026 births. Health care services are provided for Syrian refugees by 143 doctors and 553 other health practitioners as well as an additional 1,089 staff members. There are 34 ambulances available in the camps for emergencies. As for education, the Turkish government is assisting 26,461 Syrian students in continuing with their education in 362 classrooms at the refugee camps. Syrian students are being instructed by 345 Turkish and 833 Arabic teachers. AFAD noted that the total number of refugee camps in Turkey is 15: five tent cities in Hatay province, three in Gaziantep, two in Sanliurfa and one each in Kahramanmaras, Osmaniye and Adiyaman. There are also container cities in the southern provinces of Kilis and Sanliurfa. In addition, one more tent city is under construction. According to AFAD's figures, the total number of tents amount to 25,097, while the total number of containers is 4,053. There are 3,000 ministry employees working in the camps. AFAD's fact sheets also note that 223,986 Syrians, who fled what is now a 22-month old civil war, have crossed into Turkey since the uprising started in Syria and 66,496 of them have returned to their country. The number of Syrian refugees that crossed into Turkey in just two days this week is 1,206. It was also said that all the humanitarian needs of the more than 220,000 Syrians that escaped to Turkey were met. Turkey provides shelter, food, health care, security, social activities, education, worship space, translation services and access to communication and banking tools at the camps. There are also schools, mosques, police and health centers, water tanks, water refining centers, transformers and generators located within the camps. Ten Syrian military officials defected from the Syrian army and fled to neighboring Turkey on Friday with their families. A total of 71 Syrians, including four colonels, four captains and two lieutenants, crossed at the border village of Bukulmez in the Reyhanli district of Hatay. The defected Syrians were transferred to the Apaydin refugee camp after required legal procedures were completed for their refugee status. A further 13 Syrians -- one major, three captains, three lieutenants and one non-commissioned officer and several family members -- crossed into Turkey in Hatay's Yayladagi district on Thursday.