High ranking military figures from the Syrian army were part of a group of soldiers that have defected to Turkey, one of the largest to have done so since the start of the conflict.
A general, two colonels, two majors and over 30 soldiers crossed the border into Turkey’s Hatay province on Sunday night.
They were part of a larger group of around 200 people who fled the violence.
Turkey has been supporting the Free Syrian Army openly, and says 12 Syrian generals had already defected.
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.