At least 6 dead, 81 injured in Istanbul explosion
ISTANBUL — A bomb rocked a bustling pedestrian avenue in the heart of Istanbul on Sunday, killing six people, wounding several dozen and leaving panicked people to flee the fiery blast or huddle in cafes and shops.
Emergency vehicles rushed to the scene on Istiklal Avenue, a popular thoroughfare lined with shops and restaurants that leads to the iconic Taksim Square.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the blast a “treacherous attack” and said its perpetrators would be punished. He said the attack has “smell of terror” without offering details and also adding that was not certain yet.
Sunday’s explosion was a reminder of the safety concerns that stalked the Turkish population during years when such attacks were common. The country was hit by a string of bombings between 2015 and 2017, some by the Islamic State group, others by Kurdish militants seeking increased autonomy or independence.
In recent years, Erdogan has led a crackdown on the militants as well as on Kurdish lawmakers and activists. Amid skyrocketing inflation and other economic troubles, Erdogan’s anti-terrorism campaign is a rallying point for him ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections next year.
Erdogan, who left Sunday for the Group of 20 summit in Indonesia, said six people were killed. Vice President Fuat Oktay put the injury toll at 81.
Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told pro-government broadcaster A Haber that investigators were focusing on a woman who sat on a bench by the scene of the blast for about 40 minutes. The explosion took place minutes after she left. He said her identity was not clear, nor was it clear what group might be behind the attack.