Turkish authorities arrest main suspect in deadly 2013 Reyhanli bombing

Turkey has arrested a main suspect in the deadly double bombing that occurred in 2013 near the Syrian border, killing dozens amid the war in Syria, according to official Turkish media.

According to the Anadolu Agency, Omar al-Khatib, who is listed on Interpol’s Red Notice, is believed to have coordinated the operation between the perpetrators and Syrian intelligence officials during the rule of ousted President Bashar al-Assad.

The agency quoted a security source as saying that Turkish intelligence arrested al-Khatib while he was attempting to flee to Europe by sea, without disclosing the date and location of his arrest.

The double bombing in the town of Reyhanli in southern Turkey killed 53 people, marking the most deadly attack in Turkey linked to the Syrian war, which erupted in 2011 following a popular uprising against the Assad regime.

Turkish media reports stated that al-Khatib entered Turkey before the bombing to scout potential sites for its execution. He is also suspected of supplying the perpetrators with the explosive device used in the attack. According to reports, those involved received funding from the Syrian regime at the time.

At the time, Ankara accused Turkish extremist groups backed by the Syrian government, allegations that Damascus rejected.