Exchanges Of Artillery Fire Between Turkey And Syria Continue

(Newsroom America) -- Turkey and Syria have exchanged artillery fire on the border for the fifth straight day with no signs of the conflict abating.

Five Turkish civilians were killed last week after mortar fire from Syria hit the town of Akcakale in Turkey's Sanliurfa province, which shares a border with Syria.

The mortar fire has reportedly continued for the past five days, with Turkey firing back at targets within Syria.

Last week Turkey's parliament authorized cross border military action against Syria however Turkish leaders said they were not declaring war on Syria.

More than 18,000 people, mostly civilians, have died in Syria since the uprising against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad began last year. A further 2.5 million Syrians urgently need humanitarian aid, according to UN estimates.