TURKEY/SYRIA: Sporadic gunfire is heard in the border town of Tel Abyad, a day after Syrian insurgents seized the crossing on the border with Turkey

Record ID: 281386

  • Title: TURKEY/SYRIA: Sporadic gunfire is heard in the border town of Tel Abyad, a day after Syrian insurgents seized the crossing on the border with Turkey
  • Date: 21st September 2012
  • Summary: AKCAKALE, TURKEY (SEPTEMBER 20, 2012) (REUTERS) BORDER GATE TURKISH FLAG AND SYRIAN OPPOSITION FLAG TEL ABYAD, SYRIA (AS SEEN FROM TURKEY) (SEPTEMBER 20, 2012) (REUTERS) SYRIAN OPPOSITION REBELS AT BORDER GATE REBELS IN FRONT OF BUILDING, GUNFIRE AUDIO IN BACKGROUND VARIOUS OF DAMAGED BORDER COMPOUND VARIOUS OF REBELS WALKING NEAR COMPOUND, GUNFIRE AUDIO IN BACKGRO
  • Embargoed: 6th October 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey, Syrian Arab Republic
  • City:
  • Country: Turkey Syrian Arab Republic
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAC2FIXFB6ZNLZH96XXWRIC012V
  • Story Text: Occasional bursts of gunfire were heard in Syria's Tel Abyad near the Turkish border on Thursday (September 20), after the crossing was seized by the opposition the previous day.
    The capture of Tel Abyad on Wednesday (September 19) is a consolidation of the rebels' grip on a frontier through which they ferry arms for battles with President Bashar al-Assad's troops around the northern city of Aleppo.
    Tel Abyad is the third of seven main crossings along the Turkish-Syrian frontier to come under rebel control.
    While the opposition flag is waving at the border post and rebel fighters appear to have control of the compound, gunshots were still heard from the Turkish side of the border.
    Locals living in the town of Akcakale, which is the Turkish side of the border crossing, have told Reuters they're afraid of the constant gunfire.
    "We are really worried. We cannot sleep in our houses. All our neighbours evacuated their homes. My child cannot sleep but cries all time. He is asking me to leave. We are worried about our future,'' said Hamit Aslan, a local resident of Akcakale.
    "I arranged a car to drive all my family to Urfa city away from the border. There is gunfire all the time, we cannot sleep. Schools are closed and trade has stopped,'' added Kemal Anagan.
    Turkey has confirmed the transition of the Tel Abyad border post into rebel control, but Syrian media has only reported heavy fighting in the area.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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