Monitoring Desk:
A powerful blast rocked Turkey’s Istanbul city on Sunday evening. Turkish media reports the bomb went off in the Istiqlal street area of Istanbul.
Six people were killed and 53 others were wounded on Sunday when an explosion rocked a busy pedestrian street in central Istanbul in an incident President Tayyip Erdogan called a bomb attack that “smells like terrorism”.
Police and rescue workers were quick at the spot and shifted the injured to the hospital for medical treatment.
According to a video shared on social media, the police have established a large security cordon to prevent
access to the damaged area for fear of a second explosion.
A massive deployment of security forces equally barred all entrances, while a heavy deployment of rescue workers and police was visible.
Local media said crime inspectors were on the scene and Anadolu reported that the Istanbul chief public prosecutor’s office had launched an investigation into the blast.
The explosion occurred shortly after 4:00 PM (1300 GMT) in the famous Istiklal shopping street which is popular with locals and tourists.
According to images posted on social media at the time of the explosion, it was accompanied by flames and immediately triggered panic, with people running in all directions.
Images shared on social media at the time of the explosion indicated it could be heard from far away and that there were also flames. A wide black crater is also visible in the images as well as several bodies on the ground nearby.
Erdogan says attack ‘smells like terrorism’
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday condemned the “vile attack” that ripped through central Istanbul, and which he said killed six people and wounded dozens of others.
“The relevant units of our state are working to find the perpetrators… behind this vile attack,” Erdogan told a televised press conference.
He also said initial signs pointed to a “terror” attack in the explosion in Istanbul which wounded 53 others.
“It might be wrong if we say for sure that this is terror but according to first signs… there is a smell of terror there,” Erdogan said.
Pakistan extends condolences
Politicians across parties extended their condolences and expressed their regret at the incident.
“Government and people of Pakistan express deepest condolences to the brotherly people of Turkiye at the loss of precious lives and send prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured,” tweeted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said he was “deeply saddened” by the incident and Pakistan stood in “complete solidarity” with the Turkish people in their hour of grief.
Istiklal avenue was affected during a series of attacks targeting Istanbul in 2015-2016.
More to follow
