Turkey took the drastic measure of closing its main border crossings into northwest Syria on Tuesday following escalating tensions. This decision came after Turkish troops were targeted by Syrian citizens outraged by acts of violence against their compatriots within Turkey. The unrest, which began late on Sunday, spread quickly across the country, prompting Turkish authorities to detain 474 individuals involved in attacks against the Syrian community.
In the central city of Kayseri, properties and vehicles owned by Syrians were vandalized and set ablaze. These acts were fueled by social media reports alleging that a Syrian man had sexually abused a child relative. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated that the incident is under investigation.
The violence expanded to other provinces including Hatay, Gaziantep, Konya, Bursa and a district in Istanbul, according to Turkey’s MIT intelligence agency. Social media reports indicated that some Syrians suffered injuries during these attacks.
The unrest in Turkey sparked a furious response in the rebel-held northwest Syria, a region where Turkey maintains a significant military presence and has established a sphere of influence that has effectively prevented Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from regaining control. Hundreds of angry Syrians took to the streets in multiple towns within this area, voicing their anger.
In response to the growing unrest, Turkey closed the Bab al Hawa border crossing, a crucial trade and passenger route for over 3 million inhabitants, along with Bab al Salam and other smaller crossings. This closure, effective until further notice, was confirmed by a border official.
The Syrian border city of Afrin became the epicenter of violent clashes, with at least four individuals losing their lives in an exchange of fire between armed protesters and Turkish troops. Other areas witnessed skirmishes and armed confrontations, with civilians hurling stones at Turkish convoys in several towns and tearing down the Turkish flag from some offices.
Several Turkish officials described the unrest in Syria as “provocations,” with the Foreign Ministry stating: “It is wrong to use the sad events that took place in Kayseri… as the basis for some provocations beyond our borders.” Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan pointed the blame for the anti-Syrian attacks at the political opposition, accusing them, without providing evidence, of fueling racism in a country housing over 3 million Syrian war refugees. “Nothing can be achieved by fueling xenophobia or refugee hatred in the public,” Erdogan said on Monday.
Erdogan had previously mentioned on Friday that a meeting with Assad was a possibility to help restore bilateral relations. Turkey severed ties with Syria following the 2011 Syrian civil war and provided support to rebel groups seeking to oust Assad.
