9 Turkish citizens detained over car bombings

PanARMENIAN.Net - Authorities detained nine Turkish citizens believed to have links to the Syrian intelligence agency in connection with two car bombs that left 46 people dead in a Turkish border town, officials said Sunday, May 12, as Syria rejected allegations the country was behind the attack, Associated Press reported.

The bombings marked the biggest incident of cross-border violence since the start of Syria's bloody civil war and have raised fear of Turkey being pulled deeper into the conflict. Harsh accusations from both sides signaled a sharp escalation of already high tensions between the two former allies.

"This incident was carried out by an organization which is in close contact to pro-regime groups in Syria and I say this very clearly, with the Syrian mukhabarat," said Interior Minister Muammer Guler.

Among the nine people detained overnight was the mastermind of the attack and more were expected, Guler said.

"We have determined that some of them were involved in the planning, in the exploration and in the hiding of the vehicles," he said.

Saturday's twin bombings fifteen minutes apart in the Turkish town of Reyhanli, a hub for Syrian refugees and rebels close to Syria, also wounded dozens of people, including 50 who remained hospitalized Sunday.