HATAY
Turkish Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland on Wednesday visited a camp in Turkey's southern Hatay province sheltering Syrian refugees who fled a nearly two-year-old civil war that killed more than 60,000 people.
"I hope you will return to your homes, villages and gardens in the shortest possible time once peace in your country is restored," Ergin said during the visit in the Boynuyogun camp in Hatay's Altinozu town, nearly 10 kilometers from the Syrian border.
Jagland on his part said he was impressed by the work Turkish authorities had done in the refugee camp, adding that Turkey made huge contributions in such a serious disaster and set an example for other countries to follow.
UN's refugee agency, UNHCR, estimates the current number of Syrians staying in camps and city centers in Turkey had passed well over 200,000 and it expects that the figure will reach 380,000 within the next six months.
According to Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD), the country had spent 600 million Turkish liras for the Syrian refugees so far.
