By The Associated Press

Published: Wednesday, October 3, 2012, 8:40 p.m.
Updated: Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Turkish artillery fired on Syrian targets on Wednesday after shelling from Syria struck a border village in Turkey, killing five civilians, sharply escalating tensions between the two neighbors and prompting NATO to convene an emergency meeting.

“Our armed forces at the border region responded to this atrocious attack with artillery fire on points in Syria that were detected with radar, in line with the rules of engagement,” the Turkish government said in a statement from the prime minister's office.

The artillery fire capped a day that began with four bombs tearing through a government-held district in Syria's commercial and cultural capital of Aleppo, killing more than 30 people and reducing buildings to rubble.

Along the volatile border, a shell fired from inside Syria landed on a home in the Turkish village of Akcakale, killing a woman, her three daughters and another woman, and wounding at least 10 others, according to Turkish media.

The shelling appeared to come from forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime, which is fighting rebels backed by Turkey in an escalating civil war.

“Turkey, acting within the rules of engagement and international laws, will never leave unreciprocated such provocations by the Syrian regime against our national security,” the office of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a statement.

Turkish media said Turkey has prepared a parliamentary bill for Syria that is similar to one that authorizes the Turkish military to intervene in northern Iraq in pursuit of Kurdish militants who have bases there. The bill is expected to be discussed in parliament on Thursday, Anadolu agency reported.

If approved, the bill could more easily open the way to unilateral action by Turkey's armed forces inside Syria, without the involvement of its Western and Arab allies.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the Aleppo bombings earlier in the day, but the government blamed its opponents, saying the huge explosions were caused by suicide attackers.

“It was like a series of earthquakes,” a shaken resident told The Associated Press, asking that his name not be used out of fear for his personal safety. “It was terrifying, terrifying.”

The Syrian government said the bombings killed 34 people and injured 122 — although death tolls have been difficult to verify.

1. NHL insider: Penguins’ Shero seems ready to move Letang
2. Penguins notebook: Pens talking with Dupuis’ reps
3. Pirates notebook: Beanballs escalate tension against Reds
4. Pitt gets commits from QB, local RB
5. Morton, quick start propel Pirates past Reds
6. Bethel Park offensive lineman Grimm picks Pitt
7. Steelers rookie safety Thomas learning from Polamalu, Clark
8. Pirates announce signing of first-round pick McGuire
9. Plan for Greensburg loft apartments receives approval
10. Highmark to extend self-insurance plans to small businesses
11. Morsy scorned for appointment of ‘terrorist’

There are currently no comments for this story.
Subscribe today! Click here for our subscription offers.