( Updated : Two car bombs exploded in a Turkish town near the border with Syria on Saturday, killing around 40 people and wounding 100 others, officials said. Turkey's deputy prime minister said Syria's intelligence and military were "the usual suspects" behind the bombings, but said authorities were still investigating the attacks. )
At least 18 people have been killed and many others injured in a series of explosions in a Turkish town close to the border with Syria.
The Hurriyet newspaper quoted the interior minister as saying the explosions in Reyhanli were caused by two car bombs.
The town hall and a post office were reportedly hit.
"Two car [bombs] were set off in front of the municipality," Interior Minister Muammer Güler told reporters, but other reports indicated that there were three or more explosions.
Health Minister Mehmet Muezzinoglu said at least 15 ambulances were helping the injured. There was no immediate information on the identities of the victims.
Reyhanli, a town of about 60,000 people, lies just a few miles from the Cilvegozu crossing opposite Syria's Bab al-Hawa border post.
The border area has witnessed a number of attacks as the conflict in Syria has spilt over into Turkey, a one-time ally of President Bashar al-Assad but now one of its harshest critics.
In February, Turkey blamed a car bomb attack at Cilvegozu, which killed 17 people and wounded another 30, on Syrian intelligence agents.
Four Syrians and a Turk are in custody in connection with the February attack.
Most of the victims of that blast were Syrians who were waiting to be processed before they entered Turkey and a Syrian opposition faction said the blast narrowly missed 13 leaders of their group.
Turkey has taken in around 400,000 refugees as well as Syrian army defectors and repeatedly called on the international community to act on the unfolding crisis.
Turkey's Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, said immediately after the latest attack that the country would take necessary measures to protect itself.
"No one should attempt to test Turkey's power. Our security forces will take all necessary measures," he told reporters during a visit to Berlin.
There was no immediate indication who may have carried out the bombings on Saturday.
At least 18 people have been killed and many others injured in a series of explosions in a Turkish town close to the border with Syria.
The Hurriyet newspaper quoted the interior minister as saying the explosions in Reyhanli were caused by two car bombs.
The town hall and a post office were reportedly hit.
"Two car [bombs] were set off in front of the municipality," Interior Minister Muammer Güler told reporters, but other reports indicated that there were three or more explosions.
Health Minister Mehmet Muezzinoglu said at least 15 ambulances were helping the injured. There was no immediate information on the identities of the victims.
Reyhanli, a town of about 60,000 people, lies just a few miles from the Cilvegozu crossing opposite Syria's Bab al-Hawa border post.
The border area has witnessed a number of attacks as the conflict in Syria has spilt over into Turkey, a one-time ally of President Bashar al-Assad but now one of its harshest critics.
In February, Turkey blamed a car bomb attack at Cilvegozu, which killed 17 people and wounded another 30, on Syrian intelligence agents.
Four Syrians and a Turk are in custody in connection with the February attack.
Most of the victims of that blast were Syrians who were waiting to be processed before they entered Turkey and a Syrian opposition faction said the blast narrowly missed 13 leaders of their group.
Turkey has taken in around 400,000 refugees as well as Syrian army defectors and repeatedly called on the international community to act on the unfolding crisis.
Turkey's Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, said immediately after the latest attack that the country would take necessary measures to protect itself.
"No one should attempt to test Turkey's power. Our security forces will take all necessary measures," he told reporters during a visit to Berlin.
There was no immediate indication who may have carried out the bombings on Saturday.
Source : SkyNews
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