In Reyhanlı, a town situated near Turkey's border with Syria, two powerful car bombs detonated on a busy market street, causing widespread devastation. The first explosion took place outside the municipal building, followed by a second explosion at a nearby parking lot. The fatalities included Turkish citizens as well as several Syrian refugees, highlighting the conflicts' direct impact on civilians. Emergency services were overwhelmed with the scale of the casualties, and the attacks were met with immediate condemnation from the Turkish government and widespread media coverage. Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic and chaos as the injured were rushed to local hospitals amidst the rubble. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan labeled the attacks as acts of terror and vowed to bring those responsible to justice. The bombings not only shocked the local community but also resonated throughout Turkey and beyond, stirring conversations on national security and the implications of the Syrian conflict's spillover effects into neighboring countries.

The Reyhanlı bombings occurred during a critical time when Turkey was hosting a significant number of Syrian refugees escaping the civil war. This influx had strained local resources, and the region's already tense atmosphere was exacerbated by political divisions over the Syrian conflict. The Turkish government faced pressure from its citizens to address security concerns, leading to an intensified military presence along the border and a crackdown on extremist activities. As investigations unfolded, the Turkish authorities eventually linked the attacks to various radical groups, raising fears about Turkey’s vulnerability to terrorist activities and the potential for further violence in the region. The bombings triggered a national discussion on counter-terrorism measures and refugee policies, shaping Turkey's domestic and foreign policies toward Syria in the following years.