Turkish Airlines winds down operations in Syria

Turkish Airlines winds down operations in Syria

ANKARA - The Associated Press

Hürriyet photo

Turkey's national carrier is winding down its operations in Syria.

A Turkish Airlines official says the company will suspend ticket sales Sunday, but that flights to and from Damascus and Aleppo, Syria, will continue for a while for passengers who already have tickets.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because he was not authorized to make statements on behalf of the company.

The announcement came a day after Turkey closed its embassy in Damascus and withdrew the ambassador, further isolating Syria.

The U.N. says more than 8,000 people have been killed there since Syrian President Bashar Assad launched his crackdown on the opposition a year ago.