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Turkey fears new influx of up to 600,000 refugees

The fierce fighting in Aleppo could see a wave of 600,000 Syrian refugees fleeing to the border of Turkey, the country's deputy prime minister has warned.

Turkey has been urged to let in tens of thousands of Syrian refugees who are trapped at its border in freezing conditions after fleeing fighting and bombing in the city of Aleppo.

The German chancellor Angela Merkel is due in Ankara today for talks with the Turkish government on Syria and the refugee crisis.

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Merkel blames Russian bomb attacks for Syria border rush

German chancellor Angela Merkel has joined Turkey in condemning Russian bombing attacks for forcing thousands of Syrians to rush to the Turkish border.

The newly built camp by Turkey on the Syrian side of border where thousands of refugees remain stranded. Credit: Turkish government

Around 30,000 people are being held in camps on the Syrian side of the border after fleeing the city of Aleppo to escape bombardment from Russian-backed government forces.

Children and their families were held in the temporary tents awaiting clearance into Turkey in temperatures that have dropped to nearly 0C. Credit: Turkish government

Ms Merkel, who is partly in Ankara to put pressure on Turkey to admit the refugees, said: "We are now, over the last few days, not only appalled but also shocked by the human suffering of tens of thousands of people through bombing attacks, and also bombing attacks originating from the Russian side."

Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Russia's air assault should not be tolerated with an acceptance that Turkey will continue to accept the fleeing refugees.

Speaking at the joint news conference, Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Turkey will admit the refugees "when necessary" on a day when his administration sent trucks carrying more tents over the border to reinforce the temporary camps.

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Turkey fears new influx of up to 600,000 refugees

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