Reyhanli explosions kill at least 40 people in Turkey

At least 40 people have been killed and other 100 are injured after two car bombs exploded in the Turkish town of Reyhanli, near the Syrian border, Turkey’s interior minister says.

Muammer Guler told Turkey’s NTV that two bombs had gone off in the town near the town hall and post office.

Video from the scene showed injured people being carried to safety in rubble-strewn streets, amid shattered buildings and twisted wrecks of cars.

The town is an entry-point for refugees from the war in Syria.

Local people attacked cars with Syrian number-plates and Syrian refugees after the attack, according to local media.

Emergency services looked for possible victims buried under the debris.

No group said they had carried out the attack.

Responding to news of the bombing, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Turkey would protect itself.

“There may be those who want to sabotage Turkey’s peace, but we will not allow that,” he said during a visit to Berlin.

“No-one should attempt to test Turkey’s power. Our security forces will take all necessary measures.”

Ahmet Davutoglu added that the blasts had taken place to deflect attention from efforts to solve the Syrian crisis.

The border area of Reyhanli has itself been attacked in recent months.

In February, an explosion near the town killed 17 people and wounded 30.

Five people were killed last October when a mortar round hit the Turkish border town of Akcakale.

The Turkish government has been a key supporter of the Syrian opposition, and has allowed rebels as well as refugees on to its territory.

But tensions in the Reyhanli area have been high for several weeks, reports say, with clashes between Turkish and Syrian youths.