Turkey plans to deploy over 50 medical doctors to its southern border region ahead of a planned military operation by the Turkish army into Syria, Middle East Eye has learned.

According to a document obtained by MEE, the Turkish Health Ministry has sent orders to provinces requesting the doctors to fulfil a one-month period of service, from 20 September to 20 October.

“[Doctors] will be deployed to Sanliurfa and Mardin Provincial Health Departments in order to carry out health services as part of the Turkish armed forces’s planned cross-border operation in Syria,” the document said.

The order was sent to 19 provinces, including Istanbul and Ankara.

Omer Melik, chairman of Sanliurfa Chamber of Doctors, told local media that the governor’s office cancelled all leaves within the province for medical workers indefinitely.  “We weren’t informed about the reason but we think it is about Syria,” he was quoted as saying.

A Turkish official with knowledge on the matter confirmed that Turkey was deploying doctors to the border. “I don’t have anything further to add,” the official told MEE.

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