"The first martyr of Operation Peace Spring was a nine-month-old Syrian baby, Mohammad Omar, and Cihan Gunes, a civil servant working for the tax office in Akcakale," the local governor's office said.

AFP journalists witnessed consistent explosions in Akcakale and saw three people injured, one seriously, when shells hit a government building.

Attacks were also reported in Ceylanpinar.

The two areas lie just across the border from the Syrian towns of Tal Abyad and Ras Al-Ain, which have been the focus of Turkey's operation against Kurdish forces since it was launched on Wednesday.

Families were evacuating and streets emptying in Akcakale, as local authorities called on people to take shelter.

One man was seen telling his family: "Run, come quickly."

Turkey says its operation is aimed at pushing back Syrian Kurdish forces, which it considers "terrorists", and establishing a "safe zone" to repatriate Syrian refugees.