From Turkey, tens of thousands of refugees try to reach Europe by attempting the short sea crossing to Greece, though many have drowned on the way.

Turkey has so far spent $7.6 billion caring for 2.2 million Syrian refugees, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Friday.

Turkey, which borders Syria, hosts the world’s largest refugee population and has vowed to maintain its open border policy. The Turkish Coast Guard has rescued 53,228 people, while 274 people have died in Turkish waters, Kurtulmus also said at news conference.

Back in July, Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) is planning to build a new refugee camp in the southern town of Kilis, in order to accommodate for the ongoing influx of Syrian refugees, reports Turkish news site Hürriyet Daily.

Turkey has been a host for approximately 2 million Syrians escaping the war, while another 100,000 are expected to cross through after impending Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) attacks.

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