Explosion near Turkey-Syria border
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A loud "explosion" (patlama) that was reportedly heard across the city of Gaziantep in southern Turkey is believed to have been a sonic boom, officials say. The boom was also heard across other parts of Gaziantep province.

The incident happened at about 11:20 p.m. local time on Friday when residents in Gaziantep reported hearing a loud explosion. The blast shook the area and was heard across the city, as well as other parts of Gaziantep province.

A large number of ambulances and other emergency services were dispatched to respond to reports of an explosion, with some reports suggesting that an explosion had taken place in the area of the University of Gaziantep. Nothing was found.

Several hours later, the governor's office said in a statement that the boom is believed to have been caused by a fighter jet that broke the sound barrier. There were no reports of damage or injuries, the governor said, and smoke that was seen in Gaziantep was not caused by the incident.


Gaziantep is one of Turkey's most populous cities and is located not far from the border with Syria. Gaziantep is about 506 kilometers (314 miles) southeast of Ankara, or 98 kilometers (61 miles) northeast of Aleppo.