Political analyst Ammar Waqqaf on the Syrian refugee crisis

Refugee and Migrant Crisis

Syrian refugee Hatice Henidil hugs her grandson Usame while waiting for Usame’s parents still stuck on the Syrian side of the border, in front of the Oncupinar crossing gate, near the town of Kilis, in south-central Turkey, on February 10, 2016. Around 30,000 Syrians are at the Turkish border after fleeing a Russia-backed regime offensive. / AFP / BULENT KILIC
Published February 12, 2016 at 3:08 PM
Updated February 17, 2016 at 1:31 PM

In this extended interview, CCTV America’s Mike Walter spoke with Ammar Waqqaf about the situation of Syrian refugees stuck at the border of Turkey.

Waqqaf also talked about the Russian air campaign in Syria and the efforts to stop refugee smugglers. He is an independent political analyst and the director of Gnosos, an organisation that expresses stakeholder views in Syria and the Middle East.

Around 30,000 Syrians are at the Turkish border after fleeing a Russia-backed regime offensive on the northern region of Aleppo, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Feb. 8. Turkey faces mounting pressure to open its border. Davutoglu said the refugees would be admitted if need be, but added that Turkey should not be expected “to shoulder the refugee issue alone.”