Nearly Third of Turkey's Syria Border Wall Complete

Up to a third of Turkey’s planned 560-mile wall along the Syrian border has been completed, Turkish media reported Thursday, citing security sources.

ANKARA (Sputnik) – Nearly 190 miles of the wall have been constructed so far and the remaining part is expected to be built in 2017, Turkish security sources told the Anadolu news service.

Turkey’s Interior Ministry allocated almost 250 million Turkish liras ($88 million) to six border provinces, including Sirnak, Mardin and Gaziantep for construction. The wall along Hatay and Sanliurfa provinces has been mostly completed, according to sources.

The 6.5-foot-wide to 10-foot-high structure is reportedly built with 7-tonne modular concrete blocks, and will be reinforced with razor wire fences and ditches along stretches of the border.

Patrols points are planned every 55 yards, in addition to added border guards at checkpoints, and 24-hour surveillance cameras with night vision capability at strategic points.

Ankara has faced multiple calls, including from ally the United States, to seal its porous southern border to cut off transit and fighter routes for Daesh.