Turkey has initiated an official investigation into an Israeli airstrike that claimed the lives of three Turkish citizens, who were attempting to cross from Lebanon into Israel, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
Prosecutors in Ankara revealed that the investigation was launched ex officio, meaning it was opened immediately following the incident.
The victims’ bodies have been returned to Turkey, where autopsies are currently underway. A statement from the authorities noted that upon completion of the autopsy procedures, the relevant findings would be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office for further action.
The three men, who went missing last month, were later identified as the victims of the attack. Shortly after the news emerged, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the airstrike, calling it an “unlawful attack” that led to the deaths of its citizens.
The Ministry’s statement added: “It has been confirmed that the three Turkish nationals, who had lost contact while attempting to cross illegally from Lebanon to Israel, were killed in an Israeli airstrike in the region.”
