World Bulletin/News Desk

Four Turkish soldiers were injured after a group of smugglers -- who were attempting to illegally import diesel from war-torn Syria into Turkey through the border town of Reyhanlı -- set diesel drums on fire to prevent being captured by Turkish security officials in the early hours on Tuesday.

A group of solders patrolling the village of Beşaslan on the Syrian border saw smugglers crossing into the Turkish side of the border carrying diesel drums. The smugglers set the drums on fire to avoid capture by Turkish security units and ran to the Syrian side of the border.

Four soldiers were taken to the Reyhanlı State Hospital after being injured in the fire. Three of the injured were transferred to Hatay State Hospital in critical condition.

Turkish soldiers launched an operation on oil smugglers early on Tuesday in the Kuşaklı village of the Reyhanli district in the southern province of Hatay.

According to initial reports, a number of people got injured during the clash between the soldiers and villagers who refuse to give back the oil. 

Turkish soldiers reportedly besieged the village with armored vehicles. Nobody is allowed to enter and leave the village.