ISTANBUL (TURKEY): An explosion rocked a busy pedestrian street in central Istanbul on Sunday, killing six and injuring 53 others.
Act of Terrorism
According to initial information provided by the governor, the Istanbul explosion may have been the result of terrorism.
Turkish President Erdogan
During the explosion on Istanbul’s Istiklal Avenue, at least six people died, and 53 were injured, adding that initial observations indicated a woman was responsible
He concluded that efforts to take over Turkiye and the Turkish nation through terrorism would not succeed.
On Istiklal Avenue, which was cordoned off by police, ambulances rushed to the scene. Turkiye’s most significant city, the Beyoglu district, was crowded with shoppers, tourists, and families at the weekend.
Cause of the blast
According to the state broadcaster TRT, the cause of the explosion has not yet been determined.
According to a Reuters reporter, there was a helicopter overhead and several ambulances in nearby Taksim Square.
Mehmet Akus, 45, an employee in a restaurant on Istiklal, said, “When I heard the explosion, I was petrified; everyone froze. People started running away. What else could you do?”.
My relatives called me; they knew I worked on Istiklal. I reassured them,” he said.
The nearby Kasimpasa police station informed Reuters that all crews were on the scene, but no further information was provided.
Who is behind the blast?
According to local media, the Istanbul chief public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into the blast.
Even though the cause of the blast is unknown, Kurdish separatists, Islamist militants, and other groups have previously targeted Istanbul and other Turkish cities.
Blood was being transported to nearby hospitals by the Turkish Red Crescent.
Broadcast ban on the coverage of blast
Around an hour after the blast occurred, RTUK imposed a broadcast ban on coverage.
In a tweet, Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu expressed his condolences to those who lost their lives in the explosion on Istiklal Avenue.
At the time of the explosion, images shared on social media indicated that it could be heard far away and that flames were also present.
The images also show a sizeable black crater and several bodies lying nearby.
In 2015-2016, Dai’sh claimed responsibility for an attack on Istanbul’s Istiklal avenue.
This is a developing story. More updates will follow.
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