New trenches dug in Akçakale border town

Troops dig trenches as part of measures after the deadly shelling in Akçakale.

Turkish soldiers have dug new trenches near the Syrian border in the town of Akçakale, as Ankara continues to bolster its presence along the border, Doğan news agency reported.

Following Chief of General Staff Gen. Necdet Özel’s visit to the town on Oct. 10, security measures have been tightened, with soldiers beginning to dig new trenches for further deployment of soldiers and armored vehicles. During his visit, Özel warned that they would invoke a tougher response if Syrian shells continued to hit Turkish soil. Meanwhile, Education Minister Ömer Dinçer said education in the town would continue on Saturdays following his visit to Akçakale. Education has been temporarily suspended in the area due to the spillover of violence from Syria.

Greek island to shelter 20,000 Syrians: ministry

Meanwhile, plans are underway to provide shelter on two Greek islands for 20,000 Syrian refugees, Greece’s public order ministry said yesterday, Agence France-Presse reported. The government of Antonis Samaras “foresees providing hospitality to 20,000 refugees from Syria who will be accommodated in special facilities on the island of Crete and Rhodes,” the ministry said in a statement. The move would fulfill Athens’ human rights obligations under the United Nations charter, it added. The operation is code-named ‘Ioni’ after the first ancient Greek colony established in Syria, the ministry said.

The Greek Foreign Ministry later noted that the issue was still under discussion at European level and that Athens was currently focused on “supporting” countries adjacent to Syria in handling the refugee influx.