Turkey rejects claims of border killings

The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Sunday denied claims that Turkish security forces killed Syrian civilians attempting to cross the border, Anadolu Agency reports.

In a statement, ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic said the allegations “do not reflect the truth”.

He added: “Our security forces are acting within a completely legal framework while intervening on border incidents and illegal crossing attempts.”

The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed eight Syrians were killed Saturday night as they attempted to cross the border north of the Syrian town of Jisr al-Shughur. Opposition groups in Syria claimed 11 were shot.