A Syrian who has crossed the border into Turkey says Assad's regime has been arming members of the Alawite minority in Jisr al-Shughur.

"Right now the regime arms all Alawite families. They give guns to every man above the age 15," Mohammed said, referring to the Shia Muslim offshoot that President Bashar al-Assad belongs to. His account could not be verified.

He also said it's getting more difficult to get close to the Turkish border. 

"Soldiers and plainclothes police prevent refugees' cars from passing. We must work around secretly," the 24-year-old told AFP.