New information after an explosion near Istanbul’s famous Taksim Square on Sunday afternoon. During the night, investigators worked at the site of the explosion. Istiklal Street, the crowded corridor where the blast took place, was closed while others evacuated, residents said.
Home Ministry chief: Detained person who left bomb
In a fenced-off area, investigators secured clues throughout the night. At the same time, the services were actively searching for a person suspected of planting the load. A photograph of the wanted woman among others appeared in the media.
“The person who left the bomb has been arrested by the police,” Turkish Interior Minister Suleiman Soylu said on Twitter after midnight on Monday, state agency Anadolu reported.
Reuters reported that police arrested 46 people, including Syrian suspect Ahlam Albashir, after the attack in central Istanbul.
During a preliminary investigation, the arrested woman reportedly testified that she had been trained by Kurdish fighters in Syria, and Istanbul police released a picture of the woman and photos of her being detained.
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The head of the foreign ministry estimated that the order was given to attack the city of Kobani in northern Syria, where Turkish forces have been conducting operations against Kurdish YPG fighters in recent years.
“According to our findings, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorist organization is responsible for this attack,” Soylu said on TRT. The group is recognized as a terrorist organization in Turkey.
The attack took place in Istanbul on Sunday. Six people were killed and 81 injured in the blast. The blast took place on the busy pedestrianized Istiklal Avenue. It is a representative avenue lined with luxurious boutiques and shops.
On Sunday, around 50 victims were evacuated from hospitals. However, 31 people are still being treated and two of the five seriously injured are in critical condition, city officials said.
Condolences from the Head of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
On Monday, the head of Polish diplomacy, Zbigniew Rau, tweeted his condolences to the head of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Mevlut Cavusoglu.
“Dear Mevlut Cavusoglu, Deepest condolences for the explosion in Istanbul. I would like to express my personal solidarity and condolences to the Turkish authorities and its citizens. Our thoughts and prayers are with you” – Zbigniew Rau wrote on Twitter.
Attack on popular Istanbul pedestrian street
State television TRT and other media outlets showed footage from the scene on Sunday. You can see people running and ambulances. The explosion occurred around 4:20pm local time (2:20pm in Poland) on Sunday.
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In a post on social media, a fireball can be seen appearing in a narrow street, and a deafening explosion can be heard. After that, the crowd starts running back in one direction.
Erdogan: “Heinous Attack”, “Smell of Terrorism”
Reuters agency quoted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying. Six people died. Dozens of people were injured – This was reported on Sunday evening. The Turkish president called the blast a “heinous attack” and said the explosion “reeks of terrorism.” “Those who carry out terrorist attacks against the Turkish people will fail,” he noted.
Turkish media released photos of the woman wanted in connection with the explosion on Sunday evening. It is not known if he is the arrested person.
Turkey’s Vice President Fuat Okte said Sunday evening that the blast was a terrorist attack by a female suicide bomber.
In Turkey, fears are growing that the attack could spark a wave of terrorism.
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