A group of locals in Turkey’s southeastern province of Şanlıurfa have attacked Syrian refugees in their neighborhood on Sunday, injuring three of them; 10 assailants were consequently detained by the police.
According to Cihan news agency, the suspects organized the attack via social media several days before the incident under the cover of a call for a rally titled “We don’t want Syrians.” The planned rally could not be held after Şanlıurfa Governor İzzettin Küçük issued a statement last week banning such an event.
The police took strict security measures around Topçu Square, where the rally was scheduled to take place on Sunday. However, around 20 people who gathered to attend the event attacked a group of Syrians outside of a plaza.
The assailants injured one of the Syrians in the leg with a knife. Two other Syrians were beaten up by the same group. The three Syrians fled the scene and took shelter at local stores. The police arrived the neighborhood and an ambulance was called for the injured Syrians.