Reyhanlı blasts strongly condemned by world leaders

A pair of blasts which occurred in the border town of Reyhanli in the southern Turkish province of Hatay, near Syria, killing 46 people on Saturday and injuring some 100 or more, have been strongly condemned by foreign circles. In an official statement, US Secretary of State John Kerry said, "This awful news strikes an especially personal note for all of us given how closely we work in partnership with Turkey, and how many times Turkey's been a vital interlocutor at the center of my work as secretary of state these last three months." NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen also joined the condemnations in a statement published on the organization's website. "These despicable acts show total disregard for the life of civilians. I express full solidarity with the people and the authorities of our Ally Turkey," NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in a message. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also condemned all acts of terrorism, reiterating that no cause or grievance ever justifies the targeting of civilians. Martin Schulz, president of the EU Parliament, also defined the twin car bombings from his Twitter account on early Sunday as deeply appalling, expressing condolences to the families of the victims and support to the Turkish authorities and people.