LATAKIA, Syria — While clashes in the country-side town of Kasab continue to escalate, Turkmen from the Syrian town of Latakia's Bayır-Bucak region have begun to evacuate their towns in fear of the Syrian regime.

The small towns of Gebelli (Rabia), Karaköprü, and Kızgıl have also started emptying their homes. The Syrian Turkmen are heading to safer regions near the Turkish-Syrian border.