Gunfire Turkey's border with Syria

Turkish residents describe intensive gunfire heard from across the border with Syria.

Guvecci residen, Mahir Gül saying: "We were at home last night, enjoying a family evening. Then we heard sound of gunfire. It seemed like they were shooting from our village. We went out and saw half of our population gathered outside. Everybody began recording the sound of gunfire and filming the incident with their mobile phones. Later on, we heard more gunfire from above these two hills.

BULLETS STRUCK A SOLAR HEATING SYTEM MOUNTED ON A VILLAGE HOUSE
Intense gunfire rang out in Guvecci village at Turkish-Syrian border early Sunday as bullets struck a solar heating system mounted on a village house. Locals gathered at village square as authorities made public announcements warning villagers against leaving their homes.

VILLAGERS: 'HEAVY GUNFIRE LASTED 3-4 HOURS'
Villagers said the heavy gunfire lasted 3-4 hours. "We were at home last night, enjoying a family evening. Then we heard sound of gunfire. It seemed like they were shooting from our village. We went out and saw half of our population gathered outside. Everybody began recording the sound of gunfire and filming the incident with their mobile phones.

'MORE GUNFIRE FROM ABOVE TWO HILLS'
Later on, we heard more gunfire from above these two hills," said Mahir Gul, a resident of the village which borders Syria.

VILLAGERS SAY THEY FACE CERTAIN DANGER IF THEY GO BACK TO THE HOMES
The villagers, from Syria's majority Sunni community, say they face certain danger if they go back to the homes they fled when militiamen known as Shabiha from the minority Alawite sect raided their villages and towns.

Later on Sunday, Syrian army vehicles were seen patrolling the border. Turkey, which courted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after he came to power in 2000, is now calling for him to step down. It is also giving refuge to Syrian army defectors and hosting Syria's opposition movement.

REUTERS