(Up NATSOT)

The aftermath of an air strike on a rebel-held town in Syria.

The bombing by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad struck border community Ras al-Ain within metres of the fence which divides it from the Turkish settlement of Ceylanpinar.

The latest strike prompted dozens of Syrians to run for their lives across the border, hoping to find refuge as Syria's civil war rages on.

Ras al-Ain was captured by the Syrian Free Army on Thursday, with the violence prompting around 9,000 residents to leave for the relative safety of Turkish refugee camps.

The huge exodus of Syrians was one of the largest in a 24-hour period since the conflict began 20 months ago.

Tensions between Turkey and Syria are high as Ankara struggles to cope with the unending stream of Syrian refugees that totals more than 120,000.

Ankara has called on the international community to take a stand against Syrian violence, but has so far failed to garner support for a foreign-enforced safe zone within Syria.