Erdogan says Istanbul attack blast kills six, Six people were killed and numerous others were injured after an explosion tore through a busy commercial street in Istanbul on Sunday. Turkey’s president claimed the incident had symptoms of a “terror” strike. On Sunday afternoon, there were large crowds near Istiklal, so police surrounded the area, and helicopters soared over the city center while sirens wailed.
Erdogan says Istanbul attack blast kills six
“I was about 50 and 55 yards away when I suddenly heard an explosion. I noticed three or four individuals lying on the floor “57-year-old witness Cemal Denizci spoke to AFP. “In a panic, people were running. It made a lot of noise. Black smoke was present “says him. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president, denounced the “vile attack.”
“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 told a press conference. Turkey’s vice president Fuat Oktay said: “We believe that it is a terrorist act carried out by an attacker, whom we consider to be a woman, exploding the bomb”. Justice minister Bekir Bozdag said: “A woman had been sitting on one of the benches for more than 40 minutes and then she got up.
“One or two minutes later, an explosion occurred,” he told A Haber television.
“There are two possibilities,” he said. “There’s either a mechanism placed in this bag and it explodes, or someone remotely explodes (it)”.
“All data on this woman are currently under scrutiny,” he added.
– Area targeted previously –
Turkish cities have previously been attacked by Islamists and other organizations; however, the authorities provided scant specifics and no one quickly claimed credit. During an attack campaign in 2015 2016 that hit Istanbul and other cities, including the capital Ankara, Istiklal Avenue was hit.
Nearly 500 people were murdered and over 2,000 were injured in the bombs, which were primarily attributed to the Islamic State group and illegal Kurdish rebels. The explosion on Sunday took place in the well-known commercial district, which is well-liked by both locals and tourists, shortly after 4:00 pm (1300 GMT). Images from the time of the explosion that were shared on social media show that it was followed by flames, which quickly caused panic and sent people running in all directions.
Several bodies were seen lying on the ground nearby in the images. According to an AFP correspondent on the scene, police established a large security cordon to prevent access to the damaged area for fear of a second explosion.
– Condemnation –
Istiklal, in the historic district of Beyoglu, is one of the most famous arteries of Istanbul. It is entirely pedestrianised for 1.4 kilometres (almost a mile).
It is surrounded by restaurants and shops and is traversed by an ancient tramway. On weekends, it is very busy. Many establishments in the nearby Galata neighborhood closed early, and some onlookers who had rushed from the explosion site were crying when they arrived.
All exits were blocked by a substantial security presence, and police and rescue personnel were visible. An ordinary action previously done in the wake of terror attacks was the restriction on broadcasters airing images of the explosion by Turkey’s radio and television watchdog, RTUK. Following the attack, access to social media was also limited.
A reaction came quickly from Greece, which “unequivocally” condemned the blast and expressed condolences to the government and people of Turkey. The United States also denounced it, with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre saying: “We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our NATO Ally Turkey in countering terrorism.”
French President Emmanuel Macron said in a message to the Turks: “We share your pain. We stand with you in the fight against terrorism”. “Shaken by news of the despicable bombing in Istanbul targeting innocent civilians,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog tweeted in Turkish and English saying: “The whole world must stand united and firm against terror.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted also in Turkish: “The pain of the friendly Turkish people is our pain.” EU Council President Charles Michel offered condolences to Turkey, tweeting: “My thoughts are with the victims & their families.”
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