Türkiye launches probe into killing of 3 nationals on Israel-Lebanon border
ANKARA
Turkish prosecutors have launched an investigation into the deaths of three Turkish nationals who were killed while attempting to cross illegally from the Lebanese border into Israel.
Israeli military forces in the region detected the illicit border-crossing attempt and carried out an airstrike, resulting in the deaths of the three Turkish citizens, according to a statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry last week. Ankara condemned Israel for the attack.
The bodies of the three have been repatriated to Türkiye, where forensic authorities in their respective provinces are proceeding with autopsy procedures, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office announced on Feb. 5.
The office did not disclose which provinces the bodies were sent to.
The forthcoming autopsy reports are expected to provide a more comprehensive account of the exact causes of death, while the investigation is also anticipated to expand into the transnational human smuggling network responsible for illicitly transporting the three individuals beyond Turkish borders.
According to information obtained from officials, the three Turkish nationals had been unaccounted for since Jan. 11, with Ankara formally reporting their death on Jan. 29.
Families of the deceased, who had mobilized efforts to locate their missing relatives, revealed that the three individuals had previously entered Israel illegally under fake identities. They had reportedly worked in the country for two to three years before being deported.
Their latest attempt to re-enter Israel for employment saw them clandestinely cross into Lebanese territory, with their last known contact occurring near the Shebaa Farms, also known as the Mount Dov region, on the Lebanese side of the border.
The families of the victims have lodged formal complaints against human traffickers, seeking legal action against those responsible for orchestrating the perilous journey.
