Following an incident where Turkish troops were fired upon by Syrians at the border, Turkey has decided to close the main checkpoints with the northern regions of Syria. This comes in the midst of riots against Syrians occurring in several Turkish cities, according to reports from Syrian opposition sources.
The riots originally started in the city of Kayseri and quickly spread to other cities, with Turks attacking Syrians, their property, and their cars. In response to the violence, police have made 474 arrests of individuals involved in the attacks.
The violence was sparked by rumors circulating on social media that a Syrian man had been arrested in Kayseri on suspicion of sexually assaulting a Turkish minor. This news led to heightened tensions and resulted in violent outbursts against Syrians in various Turkish cities.
As a result of these riots and the clashes at the border, Turkey has taken the decision to close the main checkpoints with northern Syria for the time being. The situation remains tense as authorities work to restore calm and prevent further violence.
