GENEVA - Turkish authorities have told
the UN refugee agency that its borders with Syria will close
to commercial traffic but remain open for Syrian refugees
fleeing the conflict, a UNHCR spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
"We've received assurances that it is staying open. The
border is closed for all commercial traffic in both directions,
that is what we heard from the Turkish government," Sybella
Wilkes, spokeswoman of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR), said.
Earlier, an official from the Turkish Customs and Trade
Ministry told Reuters that all Turkey's border gates with Syria
are to be closed from Wednesday, in response to worsening
security conditions.