Turkey arrests 3 soldiers over alleged border assault

by Erdal Turkoglu

HATAY, Turkey (AA) – The Turkish army on Monday arrested three soldiers accused of assaulting Syrian refugees along the Turkish-Syrian border, according to judicial sources.

In the incident last Friday, four soldiers allegedly beat four Syrian refugees in Altinozu in the southern province of Hatay who were trying to cross the border.

A probe by Altinozu prosecutors resulted in the arrest of three soldiers, while another was released, said the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

“The personnel in question were taken into custody and administrative and judicial procedures have been immediately started on them,” the Turkish General Staff said in a statement on Sunday.

The Syrians in question were deported after getting medical exams in line with regulations, the statement added.