On Wednesday, footage of Turkmen fighters operating a T-55 Tank inside an unknown refugee camp on the Turkish-Syrian border was posted by opposition activists, revealing the extensive use of humanitarian sites by rebel forces near the Latakia Governorate.

However, the use of refugee camps by the opposition forces is not a new development, according to Aldin Abazovic (Twitter @Ald_Aba).

Abazovic shared satellite images from 2013 with Al-Masdar News that revealed the construction and location of several camps along the Turkish-Latakia border.

One of the first images shown to Al-Masdar News reveals a road constructed between 2011-2013 near a large camp on the Turkish border.

Another satellite image shows a Turkish border post right next to a number of hidden supply trucks.

As the satellite zooms out, 5 more camps are discovered along the Turkish-Latakia border.

A closer look at one of these camps reveals more supply trucks and tents near the Turkish-Latakia border; in fact, this camp is only a few hundred meters from the border.

Another camp is revealed with larger tents and a greater excavated area.

One of Al-Masdar’s journalists Ian Grant was able to geo-locate a number of IDP refugee camps in northern Latakia:

http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=35.822354&lon=36.135213&z=16&m=b

The Al-Yamadi Camp was bombed by the Russian Air Force last month; it sparked outrage from the Syrian Opposition activists until it was revealed that Jabhat Al-Nusra (Syrian Al-Qaeda group) was operating inside of it.

Grant was able to locate another questionable site in northern Latakia that is believed to be another camp used by the rebels:

http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=35.857231&lon=36.110902&z=16&m=b

A tweet from a Twitter user with the name @BM21_grad shows more pictures of rebel fighters inside these camps:

What this information illuminates is the reason behind the Turkish regime’s intentions to implement a no-fly-zone inside Syria.

As long as the Russian and Syrian air forces bombard these border camps, the greater the rebel dependence on Turkey for protection.

Also contributing to this article were Ibrahim Joudeh and Ian Grant