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Turkish troops pounded targets in Syria, including the Tel Abyad district around 10 km (6.2 miles) inside the Syrian border on Thursday morning in reprisal for cross-border fire that killed five Turkish civilians the previous day, a security source said.
“Artillery fire resumed at 0300 GMT this morning,” the source told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Several Syrian soldiers have been killed as a result of overnight Turkish shelling across the border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights watchdog said earlier, without giving an exact figure.
Turkey has demanded that the UN Security Council take action against Damascus after Wednesday’s attack, which saw mortar fire from Syria kill five Turkish nationals, including a mother and her three children.
It marked the first time that Turkish citizens have been killed as a result of fire from its war-torn neighbour and led to a sharp escalation of tensions between the former allies.
Before Wednesday, the most serious clash between Syria and Turkey was in June, when Syria shot down a Turkish fighter jet, killing both crewmen.
Meanwhile, The Turkish government on Thursday sought parliament’s approval to deploy troops beyond its borders, saying “aggressive action” by Syria’s military had become a serious threat to its security, according to a memorandum sent to parliament.
After having shelled Syrian targets on Wednesday Turkish artillery again hit targets in Syria on Thursday morning in reprisal for cross-border fire that killed five Turkish civilians the previous day, a security source told AFP.
“Artillery fire resumed at 03:00 GMT this morning,” the source said on condition of anonymity.
Several Syrian soldiers have been killed in Turkish fire, a watchdog said earlier, without giving an exact figure.
Ibrahim Kalin, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, said on his Twitter account that Turkey had no interest in a war with Syria but would protect its borders. He said political and diplomatic initiatives would continue.
Turkey has demanded that the U.N. Security Council take action against Damascus.
NATO in an emergency meeting Wednesday backed Turkey and called on Syria to respect international law
“The Alliance continues to stand by Turkey and demands the immediate cessation of such aggressive acts against an Ally and urges the Syrian regime to end flagrant violations of international law,” a NATO statement said after the meeting was called at member Ankara’s request.
The alliance said Syria’s “recent aggressive acts at NATO’s southeastern border” were a “flagrant breach of international law and a clear and present danger” to an ally.
“The most recent shelling… which caused the death of five Turkish citizens and injured many, constitutes a cause of greatest concern and is strongly condemned by all Allies,” it added.
Earlier, NATO head Anders Fogh Rasmussen had spoken to Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu to express “his strong condemnation of the incident in Akcakale” town, a spokeswoman said.
Before Wednesday, the most serious clash between Syria and Turkey was in June, when Syria shot down a Turkish fighter jet, killing both crewmen.
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