Several locals living in Demetevler neighbourhood attacked Syrian and Iraqi refugees late Monday who escaped their war-torn countries. One Iraqi was stabbed and seven Syrian and Iraqi Turkmens were injured. Police intervened in the incident with water cannon vehicles.
The fight reportedly erupted as a result of the fake news that spread in social media claiming that a five-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a Syrian refugee.
Ankara Governor Ercan Topaca, on the other hand, denied the claims and stated that the incidents involving Syrian and Iraqi refugees in Ankara’s Yenimahalle and Altındağ districts increased in the recent days. He also said those who took part in spreading the false claims would be identified.
A social media campaign with the hashtag #SuriyelilerEvineDönsün (Syrians should go back to their country) hit the Twitter trending topic list in Turkey during the weekend.
