‘One civilian killed, 46 injured in rocket attack’ in southern Turkey’s Reyhanlı district of Hatay

REYHANLI - Anadolu Agency

A Syrian national was killed and 46 civilians, including 16 Syrians, were injured in cross-border attacks in the Reyhanlı district of Hatay in southern Turkey on Jan. 21, according to Hatay governor Erdal Ata.

Ata said six explosions were reported between 3-4 p.m., and another five explosions at 6.40 p.m., in the Reyhanlı district of Hatay.

Nine of these incidents happened inside the residential area, while two others occurred outside.

“Some 47 people were wounded in the explosions. 30 were Turks, and 17 of them were Syrians. Unfortunately later on one of our Syrian guests lost his life,” the governor said.

He said four of the injured were in critical condition and under medical treatment. “Some 42 of the injured were discharged after outpatient treatment,” he said.

The governor also said a total of 15 vehicles, four houses and 10 workplaces were damaged by the blasts.

Earlier it was reported that four rockets struck Reyhanlı. One hit a house on Rıfat Bahadırlı Street in Reyhanlı. Another hit a workplace at Cumhuriyet Street.

A third hit Tayfur Sokmen Street while a fourth hit the roof of a four-story apartment block.

Fire brigades, security forces and Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD) teams were sent to the area.

Ata said the attacks are believed to have been carried out from Afrin by the Syrian Kurdish militia group the People’s Protection Units (YPG), a group Ankara has deemed a “terror group” for its links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and against whom the Turkish military recently launched a cross-border land and air operation.

“We think the damage was caused by rockets but they could have been missiles too. Our crime scene investigation teams are carrying out their work [in the area],” Ata said, adding that the results would be published once the investigation was complete.

The southeastern province of Kilis was also hit by four rockets launched from Afrin on the evening of Jan. 21.