Turkey reinforces Syria border but says no incursion on the cards

Turkey has deployed additional troops and equipment along part of its border with Syria as fighting in the north of the city of Aleppo intensifies, security sources said.

However Turkey Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said that there are no immediate plans for any incursion, Reuters reported.

"It is correct that we have taken precautions to protect our border. If there's any circumstances across the border that threatens Turkish security, orders to act have been given," the prime minister told broadcaster Kanal 7 late Thursday.

"[But] no one should have the expectation that Turkey will enter Syria tomorrow or in the near term," he said.

"If anything occurred that were to threaten Turkish security, we wouldn't wait for tomorrow, we would go right in. But it's wrong to expect that Turkey would undertake such a unilateral intervention in the immediate term if there is no such risk," Davutoglu said.

Syrian insurgents led by Islamist groups have launched a major offensive to gain full control of Aleppo, according to rebels on Thursday (2 July). Should they take over the city, it would be seen as a major blow to President Bashar al-Assad.

Reuters said intense fighting, including explosions could be heard from the Turkish border town of Kilis late Thursday, which is about 50km north of the Syrian city of Azaz.

Security sources have told the news agency that fighting in Azaz was between hardline Isis militants and a joint force of al Qaeda's Syrian offshoot Nusra Front and Western-backed rebels who have been clashing in north Aleppo countryside in recent weeks.

Davutoglu said that Syria's President Assad, whose forces and allied militias control the western districts of Aleppo, had been working with Isis militants in attacking the moderate opposition.

He has warned that Syrians in Aleppo will not receive necessities like food and medicine if fighting cut the city off. This may create a massive new influx of people into Turkey which has already taken in more than 1.8 million Syrian refugees.