<p>The European Union, meanwhile, announced it was slapping new sanctions on the Syrian regime because of the “gravity of the situation,” in which the Syrian opposition says 1,400 people have been killed in a relentless government crackdown.<br /><br />Syrian soldiers were patrolling in military vehicles and on foot around the border village of Khirbet al-Jouz. The Local Coordinating Committees, which track the Syrian protest movement, said that residents reported tanks had entered the village and snipers were spotted on rooftops.<br /><br />More than 11,000 Syrians are housed or seeking shelter in Turkish refugee camps, including 600 who crossed over on Thursday, the Turkish Red Crescent said. The refugees came in a convoy of about 20 minibuses and some rushed on foot across the border, to be met by Turkish soldiers and escorted to nearby camps.<br /><br />Some refugees glanced behind them as they crossed into Turkey, as though fearful of being chased. The deployment was the closest Syrian troops had come to Turkey since the military operation in the area began two weeks ago as Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces tried to extinguish any chance the opposition could gain a territorial base for a wider rebellion.</p>
<p>The European Union, meanwhile, announced it was slapping new sanctions on the Syrian regime because of the “gravity of the situation,” in which the Syrian opposition says 1,400 people have been killed in a relentless government crackdown.<br /><br />Syrian soldiers were patrolling in military vehicles and on foot around the border village of Khirbet al-Jouz. The Local Coordinating Committees, which track the Syrian protest movement, said that residents reported tanks had entered the village and snipers were spotted on rooftops.<br /><br />More than 11,000 Syrians are housed or seeking shelter in Turkish refugee camps, including 600 who crossed over on Thursday, the Turkish Red Crescent said. The refugees came in a convoy of about 20 minibuses and some rushed on foot across the border, to be met by Turkish soldiers and escorted to nearby camps.<br /><br />Some refugees glanced behind them as they crossed into Turkey, as though fearful of being chased. The deployment was the closest Syrian troops had come to Turkey since the military operation in the area began two weeks ago as Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces tried to extinguish any chance the opposition could gain a territorial base for a wider rebellion.</p>