Turkey says that more than 1,500 Syrian refugees crossed its border on Thursday as Syrian forces stormed to the region in their latest show of force against anti-government protesters.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Friday that more than 11,700 Syrians are now housed in massive tent encampments in Turkey even as the Syrian troops have moved within 500 meters of the border.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the border scene "very worrisome" and warned Syria to pull its troops back. She said their presence is worsening an already bad situation for refugees and risks sparking border clashes with the Turks.
Clinton told reporters in Washington that the Syrian military should immediately end attacks and provocations in the region. She said the buildup of soldiers near the Turkish border is another sign of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's intent to repress the Syrian people.