Albania on Friday said it had recognized the anti-Assad opposition as the only legitimate representative of the Syrian people.“Albania calls on the United Nations and NATO to take all the necessary measures to stop the barbarian massacre being carried out by Bashar Al-Assad and his regime against the Syrian people,” Prime Minister Sali Berisha said in a statement.
The government announced that it would give $100,000 in aid and send medical staff to help Syrian refugees in Turkey.
Since the start of the conflict between the Free Syrian Army and the regime forces, activists estimate that more than 40,000 people have lost their lives.
According to the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, the conflict has produced more than 500,000 refugees.
More than 100 countries have now recognized the Syrian opposition as the sole representative of the Syrian people.
International recognition of the Libyan opposition gave it a huge boost in the battle against Muammar Gaddafi last year, and was later backed by Western air strikes.