Syrian troops push north

SYRIAN troops using tanks and helicopters pushed toward a northern town after arresting hundreds of people in villages near Jisr al-Shughour, residents said, as more refugees fled to Turkey.

More than 8,500 Syrians have sought shelter across the border to escape President Bashar al-Assad’s latest military drive to crush protests demanding political change in a country ruled by the Assad dynasty for the last 41 years.

Thousands more people are living rough just inside Syria.