Turkey's Erdogan tells refugees Syrian rebirth near

  • 11 years ago
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan told a crowd of thousands of Syrian refugees Sunday that their country would become their own.

(SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PRIME MINISTER TAYYIP ERDOGAN SAYING

"Every sacred birth is painful, and now Syria is preparing for a sacred birth through which the will of all Syrian people will take power."

Turkey is hosting 150,000 Syrians who have fled the conflict across the border.

Turkey, once close allies with neighboring Syria, turned fiercely against President Bashar al-Assad last year over his violent crackdown on anti-government protests. He has extended strong support to both refugees and the rebels.