On December 16th, 2022,  between nine to ten civilians, including between two to five children, were reportedly killed and up to 22 others injured in a car accident after being chased by Turkish gendarmerie forces in Harran area, Orfa (Şanlıurfa) province.  Sources said that the vehicle fell into an irrigation canal. The victims were described as Syrians, most of them from Al-Hasakeh governorate. According to one local source, the incident occurred at 2:30 pm.

HollandToday claimed that 30 Syrians “who had crossed the border illegally in foggy weather, set out to head to the city center in a minibus. The driver of the bus, who was traveling on the side roads, noticed the gendarmes on patrol and wanted to get away quickly.During the escape, the bus driver lost control and it fell into a water channel 5 meters deep. The accident resulted in the death of 9 people, 6 of whom died at the scene, and 3 in the hospital. The bodies were transferred to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Şanlıurfa, and then the bodies of the victims were handed over to their relatives.” Other sources recorded either 31 passengers or 21 inside the vehicle when the incident happened.

The incident occured at approximately 2:30 pm local time.