(Zaman Al Wasl)- At least 47,000 Syrian refugees have returned to Turkey after the 15-day Eid holidays via Bab al-Salama border crossing, while about 7,000 have decided to stay in the northern countryside of Aleppo, the border administration said on Monday.
This week 476 Syrian refugees crossed Bab al-Salam to enter Turkey which was the last batch of returning refugees.
Many Syrian refugees who celebrated Eid holidays inside the opposition-held areas have complained about the difficulty of crossing back to Turkey due to overcrowding and poor organization at the point of entry.
They especially complained about cronyism whereby persons were delayed a day or several days after their assigned appointment for others with ties to pass before them.
Some visitors were unable to reach the crossing on the specified day, but the border crossing informed them that they would not be able to return to Turkey because the return period had ended.
Residents said the border crossing administration had allowed returnees to postpone or delay their departure date either because of overcrowding or because of the circumstances of the refugees returning to their work inside Turkey. The refugees assigned to return in the final days of the 14 day period were deprived of this opportunity.
Jawad Abu Hatab, Head of the opposition's Interim Government, told Zaman Al Wasl the Abu Hatab said the opposition government seeks to get a qualified and trained staff to run the crossing, depending on Turkish support.
Shifting the management of the strategic crossing to the opposition two weeks ago comes as Turkey seeks to expel hardline rebels from northern Syria along the border after the collapse of the Islamic State.
Abu Hatab also said that the ongoing infighting between Al-Shamiya Front and Sultan Murad alliance over near the Turkish border to be solved soon due to a Turkish mediation and fevered efforts by the Syrian Islamic Council.
"The dispute is a passing Issue and will not escalate," hes said, stressing that Bab al-Salama border crossing will not be affected.
On Sunday, at least 15 rebel fighters killed in the clashes that spread to the most of FSA-held areas in northern Aleppo province.
The infighting erupted over seizing Bab al-Salama border crossing that used to be under al-Shamiya control before handing it over to the Interim Government last week.
Sultan Murad group has opposed al-Shamiya step as the key unit in Turkish-backed Euphrates Shield seeks to control the port of cargo trucks coming from Azaz towards the city of Manbij.
The clashes spread to the towns of al-Bab, Qabbasyin, Turkman Barreh and Oun, leaving dozens wounded.
Al-Shamiya Front on Sunday has accused Sultan Murad of attacking its convoy in al-Hamran district in the northern countryside of Aleppo.
The Turkish-backed rebel groups also urged Sultan Murad Brigade to end the tension with al-Shamiya.
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