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Will Turkey Respond To Reyhanli Bombs?

Turkey is not likely to take unilateral action against Syria, Amberin Zaman argues.
Shadows of protesters are cast on a banner as they march during a demonstration against the Turkish government's foreign policy on Syria, in central Hatay May 12, 2013. Turkey accused a group loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday of carrying out car bombings that killed 46 people in a Turkish border town and said the risk of unrest spreading to Syria's neighbours was increasing. Syrian Information Minister Omran Zubi denied any Syrian involvement and rejected what he called "unfounded accusati

Mangled corpses, anguished cries and plumes of black smoke. The scenes could have easily been from war torn Syria. But they were unfolding in the Turkish town of Reyhanli on the Syrian border after twin car bombs went off in the town center ripping into crowded streets and killing at least 46 people in the early afternoon of May 11. The attack in Reyhanli — home to thousands of Syrian refugees and a gathering point for rebels fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad — has sharpened fears that the two-year conflict in Syria has moved to Turkey.

As the death toll climbed, Turkish leaders were quick to blame Assad. Interior Minister Muammer Guler said the perpetrators had been identified as locals who were linked to an organization with ties to the Syrian regime and secret service.

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