Around 40,000 Syrian refugees reach Turkey

Ankara - Around 40,000 Syrians have fled to neighbouring Turkey amid the fighting that has killed thousands during the 16 months of violence, according to Turkey's disaster relief agency.

The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency said that most of the refugees are in camps in the southern Hatay, Sanliurfa, Gaziantep and Kilis provinces.

Around 15,000 people have died since the start of a popular uprising in March 2011.

The UN and anti-government organisations say President Bashar al-Assad's forces are responsible for most of the killings, while the Syrian government accuses "terrorists" for the violence.