At least 6 killed, dozens wounded in Istanbul blast
ISTANBUL — A bomb rocked a bustling pedestrian avenue in the heart of Istanbul on Sunday, killing six people, injuring dozen of others and leaving panicked people to flee the fiery blast or huddle in cafes and shops.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the blast a “treacherous attack” and said its perpetrators would be punished. He did not say who was behind the attack but said it had the “smell of terror” without offering details.
Emergency vehicles rushed to the scene on Istiklal Avenue, a popular thoroughfare lined with stores and restaurants that leads to Taksim Square. In one video posted online, a loud bang could be heard and a flash seen as pedestrians turned and ran away.
Sunday’s explosion was a shocking reminder of the anxiety and 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 who seek increased autonomy or independence.
In recent years, Erdogan has led a broad 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 key 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 wounded toll at 81, with two in serious condition, and also said it appeared to be a terrorist attack.
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 just minutes after she left.
He said her identity was not yet clear, nor was it clear what group might be behind the attack.
Numerous foreign governments offered their condolences, including neighboring Greece with which relations are tense. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said he was “shocked and saddened by the news of the heinous attack.”
Following the attacks between
2015 and 2017 that left more than 500 civilians and security personnel dead, Turkey opened cross-border military operations into Syria and northern Iraq against Kurdish militants, while also cracking down on Kurdish politicians, journalists and activists at home.
While the Kurdish militants, known as the PKK, are considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and
the European Union, critics say Erdogan also has used broad terror laws to stifle free speech.
Turkey recently enacted a controversial “disinformation law” that carries a prison sentence of up to three years for social media users who disseminate false information about domestic or international security, public order or health. Critics say the measure is so vague it can be used to stamp out dissent.