Turkey lashes out at UN demands to open border to Syrian refugees

Turkey’s leaders have lashed out at the UN and others who are pressing the country to open its border to thousands more Syrian refugees, accusing them of failing to shoulder the refugee burden or stop Russian bombings that have triggered the exodus.

In recent days, a Russian-backed Syrian government offensive around the city of Aleppo has sent tens of thousands of people fleeing to the Turkish border.

Turkey has taken in some 3m refugees — including more than 2.6m Syrians — making it the country with the world’s largest refugee population.