Dozens of Syrian soldiers, top-notch generals defect to Turkey

Damascus, July 3 (ANI): Dozens of Syrian soldiers, including top army officers, have defected to neighbouring Turkey.

According to The Telegraph, the 85 soldiers who fled include one general and other senior officials.

The latest defections bring the number of Syrian generals who have crossed into Turkey to 14, abandoning the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The latest group of soldiers crossed into Turkey at Reyhanli, in the south of the country.

They were part of a group of 293 people, including many women and children.

Turkey has provided shelter to more than 35,000 Syria refugees, including many deserters from the country's military, which has been carrying out a crackdown on opposition protesters that has been condemned by Western powers. (ANI)