1,500 Refugees Head Back to Syria from Turkey after Truce

Some 1,500 refugees have headed back to neighboring Syria since a fragile U.N.-backed truce went into effect a week ago, according to official figures published on Thursday.

Currently, a total of 23,558 Syrians are taking refuge in Turkey, said the prime minister's disaster and emergency management center, which gives a regular update on the figures.

The number stood at over 25,000 a week ago, prompting Turkey to request aid from international organizations to house newcomers.

Turkey, once a strong ally of Syria, has been increasingly outspoken in its criticism of the regime Damascus over its crackdown on dissent since mid-March last year.

Ankara has been pessimistic about the prospects of Damascus delivering on its promise to implement international envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan.