The agency is supporting camps for displaced civilians on the Syrian side of the border and was not actively promoting the services available in Turkey in the hope of discouraging more refugees from crossing, he said.  “Any individual would like to stay in his or her country… (we) promote them to stay in their own country,” Oktay said, adding AFAD has provided aid in Syria throughout the conflict.

Fuat Oktay, the president of Turkey's Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) remarked that AFAD is engaging in humanitarian aid by hosting Syrian refugees and that AFAD's accomplishments until now are beyond its mission.