At least six people were killed and 81 injured after a powerful blast ripped through Istanbul’s Istiklal pedestrian tourist street in Taksim district. According to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, this is most likely a terrorist act.
Erdogan described the blast as an “insidious attack”.
“I wish mercy from Allah for our brothers and sisters who died in the bombing that took place on Istiklyal Boulevard at 4:20 pm today, and speedy recovery for the injured.” Erdoğan said.
According to the president, the relevant authorities are making efforts to find out the perpetrators of “this insidious attack and the organizations behind it.”
“Perpetrators of the insidious attack will be exposed”, he has declared.
According to the president, the explosion looks like terrorism and there are reports, and it was later reported that a woman detonated the bomb.
“The investigation is ongoing. We will make a final decision after the investigation,” he said.
Ambulances were sent to the scene to provide medical assistance to the injured. Istiklal Street is traditionally full of people on weekends.
After the explosion, the recordings of all cameras are analyzed. An investigation is underway to find out where the bag full of explosives had been left.
The authorities have imposed a temporary ban on publishing news about the explosion.
