Turkey: would not refrain from responding to Syria, but will act with restraint

Police forensic officers work as army commandos patrol the area at the scene at one of the Saturday explosion sites that killed 46 and injured about 50 others, in Reyhanli, near Turkey's border with Syria, Sunday, May 12, 2013. The bombings on Saturday marked the biggest incident of cross-border violence since the start of Syria's bloody civil war and has the raised fear of Turkey being pulled deeper into the conflict.(AP Photo) (The Associated Press)

REYHANLI, Turkey – Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey would "not refrain" from responding to twin car bombings it has blamed on Syria but it will also act with caution and not be drawn into its neighbor's civil war.

Saturday's bombings near the border with Syria left at least 46 people dead and raised fears Turkey could be pulled deeper into the conflict.

Erdogan said Monday: "We won't fall for the trap, but we will give the necessary response at the necessary time. We would not refrain from this." He did not elaborate.

Erdogan also said the Syrian regime was "with certainty" behind the attacks and dismissed Syrian denials as a lie.

Turkish authorities say they detained nine Turks with links to the Syrian intelligence agency in connection with the bombings.