Resentment towards Syrians is growing in Turkey. Recent attacks on Syrians living in the country have focused attention on festering inter-communal tensions.

Syria's eight-year civil war has placed a strain on neighboring countries, such as Turkey, who has given temporary protection status to some 3.6 million Syrians at a cost of 40 billion U.S. dollars.

This status entitles them to health care, education, and in some cases access to the job market. However, thousands more live in the country, unregistered.

While applauded internationally for hosting the largest number of Syrian refugees in the world, some critics argue that Ankara's policies towards them have allowed for the very tensions we are seeing today.

This temporary status is becoming more permanent as complexities and uncertainties continue in Syria, creating growing anxieties, even anger amongst the locals, said Dilan Taşdemir, who established an association to diminish negative speech about refugees in Turkey.

She said this status has led to a failure to develop any federally driven integration programs.

"Due to the wrong policies of the Turkish government, Turkish people truly believed that Syrians were 'temporary.' They called them 'guests.' So what happened? No integration policy was developed and the idea of living together was not created. When you don't develop an integration policy, society becomes increasingly volatile and distant."

"This 'temporary status' also discourages Syrians from creating a life in Turkey or gives them a sense of belonging," Taşdemir added.

Only around 145,000 Syrian refugees reside in 25 government-run camps. The vast majority live and work in mainstream society, mostly in low-wage, unregistered jobs. 

"Many Syrians are forced to work off the record," said Tashdemir, "Yes, they do work for half the wage of a Turk so that has lowered overall wages. In education, their children are discriminated against because they do not know Turkish."

Over the years, Syrian refugees have grown accustomed to low-level harassment and hate speech in graffiti, online, and even on television, however an increase of more violent attacks have been seen across the country. 

Earlier this year, in the country's biggest city, Istanbul, crowds of young Turks carrying knives and batons attacked Syrian shops, yelling "This is Turkey, not Syria!" Twelve people were reportedly injured.

The fight erupted after a Syrian man allegedly harassed a Turkish man's wife.

In the Western Turkish district of Izmir, a mob of angry locals attacked a makeshift refugee camp in the Torbali district burning down tents and sending 30 Syrians refugees to hospital. 

Yet 69-year-old Hüseyin Altin, who has been living in the neighborhood where the camp was located for more than 25 years, said the attack was expected after mounting tensions in the community.

"The Syrians attacked one of the young boys with a knife. After that, all the locals united and drove them away."

Hüseyin said Syrians are also competing for their jobs.

"We were always working. For example, sometimes we would collect tangerines. We were taking 60-70 liras as a daily wage, but the Syrians are working for 20-30 liras. It has affected us very badly."

Resident Abbas Özdemir noted that his community tried to integrate the Syrian newcomers.

"We gave them beds and blankets. We all helped them, but years later, they are verbally abusing our girls on the street. We don't want them in our neighborhood anymore. We offered them kindness, but we found evil."

Part of Ankara's objective for launching operation Peace Spring into northern Syria on October 9 is to clear a "safe zone" for up to two million Syrian refugees to return to. 

While many Turks support this idea, it also contributes to this growing resentment, according to Tashdemir.

"With every military operation to Syria, hate speech increases against Syrians in Turkey because our soldiers are in battle for them while their young men are making money here."

"I feel sad when I'm watching TV," said Torbali resident Abbas Özdemir, "Our young soldiers are dying for Syria. Let the elderly, women and children come, they are more than welcome, but their young ones should fight for their own country."

Turkey is not alone. Rising resentment towards refugees, in general, is found throughout Europe. Yet, as the host country with the largest Syrian "guest" population, here the effects are grievously felt.