Turkey says the number of Syrian citizens taking shelter in Turkey stood at 17,655 on Wednesday. The Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate on Wednesday said 12 more Syrians went back to their country following a returning trend started last week, while 366 others crossed into Turkey. The Directorate said Turkey is providing shelter, food, health, security, education, communication and religious services to Syrians who escaped from clashes in their country and took shelter in the country. It also said 2,150 Syrian children are receiving pre-school, elementary and high school education in 68 classes formed at the tent sites in Hatay province. Turkey, once a close ally of Damascus, has imposed on Syria a series of sanctions, including an arms embargo, due to its alleged crackdown on protesters.