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Syria Denies Blame for Turkey Blasts


Syria's information minister says Damascus is not responsible for twin car bombings Saturday that killed at least 43 people in the Turkish town of Reyhanli, near the Syrian border.

Omran al-Zoubi said in a news conference Sunday that "no one has the right to make false accusations." He said flatly that the bombings were not the work of the Syrian government.

On Saturday, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu blamed the bombings in Hatay province on Syria and said Turkey has the right to "take every kind of measure" in response.

The blasts Saturday wounded more than 100 people, along the scores of others killed.

No one has claimed responsibility for the bombings. But Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinsaid called the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad "the usual suspect."

Hatay province hosts a large number of Syrian refugees from the civil war. Arinsaid says they have become targets for the government in Damascus.



U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the bombings were "awful" news and that the United States stands with Turkey.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attacks and said no cause or grievance ever justifies targeting civilians.
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