Turkish Foreign Ministry slams Israeli airstrike as "unlawful" after three citizens killed

Türkiye's Foreign Ministry confirmed that three Turkish citizens attempting to illegally cross the Lebanon-Israel border were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the area.

In an official statement posted on X, the Ministry strongly condemned the attack, describing it as unlawful and expressing condolences to the victims' families, Caliber.Az reports.

Kaçak Yollarla Lübnan’dan İsrail’e Geçmeye Çalışan Üç Vatandaşımız Hk. https://t.co/5cdbHhNKnq pic.twitter.com/PU2BtEyfjn

— T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı (@TC_Disisleri) January 29, 2025

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this unlawful attack that caused the deaths of our citizens," the Ministry said in a written statement.

The Ministry also reiterated its position on Israel's actions: "As we have repeatedly emphasized, Israel must immediately stop its aggressive policy that disregards human lives and increases tensions in our region."

The Ministry assured that necessary measures were being taken to transport the victims' bodies back to Türkiye.

According to Turkish media reports, the three victims, identified as Sezer Özdemir, Hüseyin Kaya, and Çinar Alp Baydenk, had disappeared on January 11 while attempting to cross the border. Their families reported them missing after they lost contact with them at the Lebanese border on that day. The three Turkish nationals had previously worked in Israel under false identities, only to be deported after staying there for two to three years. They were attempting to return to Israel to resume work when the airstrike occurred.

Local authorities reported that the three individuals were part of a larger group, consisting of around 20 people, who were attempting to enter Israel illegally. The group had made arrangements with an international human trafficking organization. The traffickers guided the group to a designated point near the border, where they communicated the group's movements in real-time.

On the evening of January 11, while the group was near Shebaa Farms (Mount Dov) on the Lebanese side of the border, Israeli armed forces carried out a drone operation targeting the individuals. The three Turkish nationals were killed in the strike. Following the incident, Türkiye's embassies in Beirut and Tel Aviv coordinated with local authorities to confirm the victims' identities.

Relatives of the deceased have filed complaints against the traffickers involved, seeking accountability for the tragedy. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

By Tamilla Hasanova