Turkish border forces were on Friday accused of using live bullets to drive away refugees fleeing a fresh wave of fighting between Syrian opposition forces and Isil.

Around 30,000 people fled as their refugee camp north-east of Aleppo was over-run by fighters from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, relatives and activists said.

As they neared Turkey's partially-constructed border wall a few miles away guards opened fire with live rounds to discourage them from coming closer, Human Rights Watch claimed.

"As we approached the border wall we saw Turkish soldiers on a hill behind the wall and they just started shooting at us," one witness said. "They shot at our feet and everyone just turned round and ran in all directions."