{{Short description|Border barrier between Syria and Turkey}} thumb|Turkey-Syria Barrier The '''Syria–Turkey barrier''' is a border wall and fence under construction along the Syria–Turkey border built in an attempt at preventing illegal crossings and smuggling from Syria into Turkey.<ref name=Confident>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-construction-toki-idUSKBN13Y1XX Reuters: "Turkish developer confident Syria wall in place by spring" By Nevzat Devranoglu and Orhan Coskun] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102142103/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-construction-toki-idUSKBN13Y1XX |date=2021-11-02 }} December 9, 2016</ref><ref name=Telegraph>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/turkey/11758050/Turkey-to-build-wall-on-Syria-border-after-Isil-Suruc-bombing.html The Daily Telegraph: "Turkey to build 500-mile wall on Syria border after Isil Suruc bombing" by Nabih Bulos] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029200748/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/turkey/11758050/Turkey-to-build-wall-on-Syria-border-after-Isil-Suruc-bombing.html |date=2021-10-29 }} 23 Jul 2015</ref>
The barrier on the Syrian border is the third longest wall in the world after the Great Wall of China and the Mexico-United States border wall.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-syria-border-wall-to-be-completed-by-spring-124303|title=Turkey-Syria border wall to be completed by spring - Turkey News|website=Hürriyet Daily News|date=19 December 2017 |access-date=2023-10-30|archive-date=2023-10-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231019031043/https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-syria-border-wall-to-be-completed-by-spring-124303|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Background == According to Turkish officials the border wall was built in an attempt to increase border security, combat smuggling and reduce illegal border crossings due to the Syrian civil war.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.dailysabah.com/war-on-terror/2018/06/09/turkey-finishes-construction-of-764-km-security-wall-on-syria-border|title=Turkey finishes construction of 764-km security wall on Syria border|date=2018-06-09|work=ANADOLU AGENCY|access-date=2023-10-30|archive-date=2023-10-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231019031047/https://www.dailysabah.com/war-on-terror/2018/06/09/turkey-finishes-construction-of-764-km-security-wall-on-syria-border|url-status=live}}</ref>
== History == Ankara had launched the construction project in 2015 to increase border security.<ref name=":0" />
The 828 km (515-mile)<ref name="DS">[https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/2017/06/11/turkey-syria-border-wall-construction-nears-completion Daily Sabah: "Turkey-Syria border wall construction nears completion"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813150253/https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/2017/06/11/turkey-syria-border-wall-construction-nears-completion |date=2017-08-13 }} 11 Jun 2017</ref><ref name=":0" /> wall is being built by TOKI, Turkey's state-owned construction enterprise,<ref>{{cite web|title=Turkey's 'great wall' nearing completion|url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/07/turkey-syria-security-wall-under-construction-border-area.html|publisher=Al Monitor|access-date=14 July 2017|date=2017-07-14|archive-date=2017-07-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170715090815/http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/07/turkey-syria-security-wall-under-construction-border-area.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and will comprise Turkey's entire border with Syria. It will be made of seven-tonne concrete blocks topped with razor wire and stand {{convert|3|m|ft|abbr=off|spell=in}} high and {{convert|2|m|ft|abbr=off|spell=in}} wide;<ref name="BI">[http://www.businessinsider.com/r-turkey-to-complete-syria-border-wall-within-5-months-official-says-2016-9 Business Insider: "Turkey is getting close to finishing its border wall with Syria" by Orhan Coskun and Daren Butler] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220111502/http://www.businessinsider.com/r-turkey-to-complete-syria-border-wall-within-5-months-official-says-2016-9 |date=2016-12-20 }} September 28, 2016</ref> it will include 120 border towers in critical locations and a security road<ref name="Confident" /> with regular military patrols.<ref name="BI" /> With construction having begun in 2014,<ref name="reuters.com">Afanasieva, Dasha (5 May 2014). "[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-crisis-turkey-wall-idUSBREA4409Z20140505 Turkey builds wall in token effort to secure border with Syria] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813145730/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-crisis-turkey-wall-idUSBREA4409Z20140505 |date=2017-08-13 }}". ''Reuters''.</ref> 781 km of the border wall has been completed as of December 2017.<ref name="DH1217">[http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-syria-border-wall-to-be-completed-by-spring-124303 Hurriyet Daily News: "Turkey-Syria border wall to be completed by spring"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171221113600/http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-syria-border-wall-to-be-completed-by-spring-124303 |date=2017-12-21 }} 18 Dec 2017</ref> In June 2018, the wall was proclaimed to be finished with a length of 764-kilometer (475-mile) out of the 911 km Syrian-Turkish border.<ref name=":0" /> In 2017, The Syrian government accused Turkey of building a separation wall, referring to this barrier.<ref name="xinhuanet" />
==Specifics== [[File:OtokarCobraII.jpg|250px|thumb|Turkey's armored Cobra II is used to patrol the Turkish side of the border wall.]] The physical specifics are such as :
* base element: 2m wide, 7-tons mobile concrete blocks<ref name=":0" /> * height : 3m concrete + 1m razor wire<ref name=":0" /> * length : 764 km<ref name=":0" /> * sealed along : Hatay, Kilis, Gaziantep, Mardin, Şırnak, Şanlıurfa, as of June 2018,<ref name=":0" />
The border security includes :
* the modular concrete walls<ref name=":0" /> * security patrol routes<ref name=":0" /> with regular military patrols<ref name="BI" /> * security towers, manned and unmanned<ref name=":0" /> * passenger tracks.<ref name=":0" />
Electronic devices are used, such as : * close-up surveillance systems<ref name=":0" /> * thermal cameras<ref name=":0" /> * land surveillance radar<ref name=":0" /> * remote-controlled weapons systems<ref name=":0" /> * command-and-control centers<ref name=":0" /> * line-length imaging systems<ref name=":0" /> * seismic sensors<ref name=":0" /> * acoustic sensors.<ref name=":0" />
The advanced technology layer includes : * wide area surveillance<ref name=":0" /> * laser destructive fiber-optic detection<ref name=":0" /> * surveillance radar for drone detection<ref name=":0" /> * jammers<ref name=":0" /> * short-distance movement-sensitive lighting systems.<ref name=":0" />
The barrier was expected to include 120 border towers in critical locations.<ref name="Confident" />
The construction of Turkey's armored Cobra II military vehicles, which are now being used to patrol the border to Syria, has been funded by the European Union.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/firing-at-refugees-eu-money-helped-fortify-turkey-s-border-a-1199667.html|title=Firing at Refugees: EU Money Helped Fortify Turkey's Border|first=Maximilian Popp, DER|last=SPIEGEL|newspaper=Der Spiegel|date=29 March 2018|access-date=30 October 2023|archive-date=16 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231016162734/https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/firing-at-refugees-eu-money-helped-fortify-turkey-s-border-a-1199667.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Geography and size== 781 km of the border wall has been completed as of December 2017, the whole 911 km is expected to be completed by Spring 2018.<ref name=DH1217/>
==Separation barrier and incursion into Syria controversy== In 2017, the Syrian government accused Turkey of building a separation wall, referring to the barrier.<ref name=xinhuanet>{{Cite web|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com//english/2017-02/18/c_136065492.htm|title=Damascus accuses Turkey of building separation wall in northern Syria - Xinhua | English.news.cn|website=www.xinhuanet.com|access-date=2019-07-10|archive-date=2022-08-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808101650/http://www.xinhuanet.com//english/2017-02/18/c_136065492.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Syrian Foreign Ministry officials claimed Turkish forces and border control guards brought in heavy machines and trucks into Syrian territories, particularly in the northern countryside of Hasakah province, making a dirt road and digging a trench while installing cement pillars to build a separation wall. Turkish forces were also claimed to enter the Syrian territory at a depth of 250 meters in the northern countryside of Aleppo province. The Turkish forces also repeated the move in the northwestern province of Idlib, saying that the Turkish forces captured 2.4 hectares of lands with the same aim to build the wall. Syrian regime officials have stated that any unilateral international actions without the consent of the Syrian government will be dealt with as violations to Syria's sovereignty.<ref name=xinhuanet/>
==See also== * Turkey–Iran border barrier * Mexico–United States barrier
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://twitter.com/tcsavunma/status/851699344055119872?lang=en Images of the barrier published by the Turkish Ministry of Defense on Twitter] *{{Cite web|title= New wall closes Turkey-Syria border |publisher=Deutsche Welt|date=May 3, 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5rOftkPYJk }} {{coord missing|Turkey}}
Category:Border barriers Category:Human migration Category:Syria–Turkey border Category:Separation barriers {{DEFAULTSORT:Syria-Turkey barrier}}