Syrian Shell Crashes into Turkey Town, One Hurt

A Syrian shell crashed Friday into a town on the Turkish side of the border, wounding a Turkish national, as fighting raged in a nearby Syrian town, a local official said.

The shell fired from the Syrian border town of Tall al-Abyad landed in Akcakale in the province of Sanliurfa, smashing into the walls of two buildings and slightly wounding one person, governor Celalettin Guvenc told the Anatolia news agency.

"I can clearly say the shelling did not target Akcakale," Guvenc said, adding that Syrian shells sometimes ricocheted into the town.

The area was sealed off following the incident as security forces hunted for unexploded shells on Turkish soil.

A week ago, the Turkish army deployed artillery and anti-aircraft missiles near Tall al-Abyad, separated from Turkey by a railway, as a precautionary measure amid fighting on Syrian soil for the control of the border post.

At least six Turkish citizens have been injured by stray shells from the Syrian side.

More than a dozen Turkish schools near the border were closed and local officials warned citizens to keep away from the area.

Since late July, Syrian rebels have seized control of at least three key border crossings with Turkey and others on the eastern border with Iraq.