Turkey accuses Syria of ethnic cleansing ahead of crisis talks

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has repeated accusations that the Syrian government, backed by Russian airstrikes, is carrying out a deliberate policy of ethnic cleansing around the city of Aleppo.

Turkey accuses Syria of ethnic cleansing ahead of crisis talksTurkey accuses Syria of ethnic cleansing ahead of crisis talks

Turkey accuses Syria of ethnic cleansing ahead of crisis talks

It follows a statement from the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Syria earlier this week that Syria's government is deliberately exterminating civilians.

Fierce fighting in and around Aleppo has continued for about a week.

But a top adviser to President Bashar al-Assad says Syria won't stop its Aleppo offensive until it secures the border with Turkey.

The terrifying sound of fighter jets flying over Aleppo is, fr some, it's the last noise they'll ever hear.

A London-based monitor, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, says at least 500 people - including 89 civilians, 23 of them children - have been killed since the Syrian government offensive began on February 1.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has called it a deliberate policy of ethnic cleansing.

"These attacks are intended to bring about a kind of ethnic cleansing in Syria so that all people who don't support the Syrian regime are driven out of the country. It's a systematic ethnic cleansing."

Russia denies it's helping the Syrian government attack its opponents, and says its air strikes don't target civilians in Syria - only terrorists.

The battle for Aleppo is being fought on multiple fronts.

The city's divided into several areas held by various armed opposition groups and government forces.

Turkman commander Zekeria Karsli says the Syria-Russia offensive has been the most deadly.

"Russian jets have conducted 200 to 300 sorties in the past three days. Many people were killed. Many others were wounded. Those who managed to survive are fleeing towards the Turkish border. The Free Syrian Army were also forced to withdraw."

European Union Vice President Sylvie Guillaume has visited the border where tens of thousands of people fleeing Aleppo are receiving aid.

Ms Guillaume has called on Turkey to be clear if it will open its borders to those waiting for safe passage out of Syria.

"We don't have more information on what Turkish authorities will do. They should be asked that question, whether they will open the border or not. There have been statements, especially from European Commissioners, saying the border should be opened. For the moment it is the responsibility of the Turkish authorities."

Turkey and the United Nations have been calling on the international community to help: particularly, to uphold pledges made last year to assist in the Syrian refugee crisis.

Some countries have responded.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras says registration centres for migrants will be built and ready ahead of next week's EU summit.

Germany says it's ready to join a NATO-led Aegean Sea surveillance mission to intercept migrants risking the dangerous passage.

But Syria's Information Minister, Omran al-Zoubi, says efforts to revive peace talks this week should be focused on fighting terrorism.

"Americans talk about fighting terrorism, Europe talks about fighting terrorism, Turkey talks about fighting terrorism and Saudi Arabia talks about fighting terrorism. But those who are really fighting terrorism are on the battlefield. I mean the Russian air force, the Syrian army and popular defence forces. They fight in the real battle. That is why the legitimate government in Syria and the sovereign decision in Syria must be respected."

Opposition Spokesman Salim al-Muslat says they will attend the meeting on reviving the peace talks in Munich but noted the last talks failed.

"Yes we will go. And we were there to really make it a success but we don't have a serious partner. When you are going for a political solution I believe that you should show something on the ground. If they stop killing of Syrians then I believe the solution is there. The Syrian regime, Russia and Iran don't see anyone who says 'no' to them and that is why they commit more massacres and commit more crimes in Syria."

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