Reyhanlı

Reyhanlı (pronounced [ɾejˈhanɫɯ]; Arabic: الريحانية‎, ar-Rayḥānīyah) is a town and district of Hatay Province, on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, near the country's border with Syria.

Reyhanlı
Reyhanlı
Coordinates: 36°16′09″N 36°34′02″E
CountryTurkey
ProvinceHatay
Government
 • MayorHüseyin Şanverdi (AKP)
 • KaymakamCemalettin Yılmaz
Area
 • District409.97 km2 (158.29 sq mi)
Elevation
158 m (518 ft)
Population
 (2012)[2]
 • Urban
63,563
 • District
89,093
 • District density220/km2 (560/sq mi)
Post code
31500
Websitewww.reyhanli.bel.tr

History

Formerly known as İrtah (Artah) and Reyhaniye, Reyhanlı has been settled by Turks since the 16th century especially with Turkish "muhacir" (refugees), Turkic tribes from Rey and later in the 19th century from the Caucasus and Cyprus. Its southernmost environ, Yenişehir, is thought to be near the ancient village of Imma (or Immae), involved in the Battle of Immae in 272 and probably also with the so-called Battle of Antioch of 218.

The 2013 Reyhanlı car bombings were a terrorist attack that involved the explosion of two car bombs in Reyhanlı on 11 May 2013. 51 people were killed, and 140 more were injured in the attack.[3] The car bombs were left outside Reyhanlı's town hall and post office. The first exploded at around 13:45 local time, (10:45 UTC)[3] and the second exploded about 15 minutes later. People attempting to help those injured in the first explosion were caught in the second blast.[4] At that time, the attack was the deadliest single act of terrorism in the history of modern Turkey,[5][6] only to be surpassed by the 103 victims of the 2015 Ankara bombings.[7]

On 5 July 2019, another car bombing in the town killed 3 people.[8][9]

Geography

The climate is typical of the Mediterranean region, and Reyhanlı is an agricultural district watered from Reyhanlı reservoir, growing cotton, wheat and other grains and raising cattle, sheep and goats.

The town lies on the main road between İskenderun and Aleppo in Syria. There is a border crossing point to Bab al-Hawa in Syria at Cilvegözü, 5 kilometres (3 miles) south east of Reyhanlı town, which is the busiest land border post between Turkey and Syria.[10]

References
  1. "Area of regions (including lakes), km²". Regional Statistics Database. Turkish Statistical Institute. 2002. Retrieved 2013-03-05.
  2. "Population of province/district centers and towns/villages by districts - 2012". Address Based Population Registration System (ABPRS) Database. Turkish Statistical Institute. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
  3. "Death toll rises to 42 as explosions hit Turkish town on border with Syria". Hurriyet Daily News. 11 May 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  4. "Blasts kill dozens in Turkish town Reyhanli on Syria border". BBC News. 11 May 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  5. "Deadliest Terror Attack in Turkey's History Might Be Another Attempt to Derail Peace Talks? But Which One? Syria or PKK?". The Istanbulian. 11 May 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  6. "Turkey Blames Syria's Assad for Its Deadliest Terror Attack". Bloomberg News. 11 May 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  7. "Does Turkey have to learn to live with terror?". Hürriyet Daily News. 16 March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  8. Reuters Editorial. "Erdogan says car explosion in Turkey kills three, may be terrorism-related". Reuters. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  9. "Car bombing left 3 people dead". Daily Sabah. 5 July 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  10. Lonely Planet Turkey
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