Syrian teenager stabbed to death amid ongoing tensions in Türkiye

A 15-year-old Syrian boy was stabbed to death in the southwestern Turkish city of Antalya on Wednesday, Turkish news website Bianet reported the next day.

Ahmed Hamdan El Naif was in the Serik district when he was attacked by three people on motorcycles.

The suspects, who were all minors themselves and were identified only by their initials RO, YY and IA, were arrested and charged after the incident, according to Bianet.

Anti-Syrian racial riots have been breaking out in Turkey since Sunday following reports that a Syrian man had molested and abused a child in the central Turkish city of Kayseri.

Mobs attacked and burned Syrian shops in Kayseri and other Turkish cities, and there are reports of several deadly attacks across the country.

Syrians in the city of Gaziantep, where many refugees live, report that they cannot leave their homes to buy essential goods for fear of attacks.

Turkish authorities announced on Tuesday that more than 470 people had been arrested as a result of the violence.

Turkey is currently hosting around 3.5 million refugees from the conflict that broke out in neighboring Syria in 2011.

Amid anti-Syrian violence in Turkey, Syrians attacked Turkish troops in the border town of Afrin, leaving four people dead.

Xenophobia and racism against Syrians have increased in Turkey in recent years. Syrians are blamed for the country’s economic problems and politicians from various parties stoke racial tensions in order to win votes in elections.