Alleged ISIS Attack Kills 10 People In Istanbul’s Tourist District

An official at the German foreign ministry said it was urgently working to find out whether German citizens were among the wounded. The Norwegian Foreign Ministry told Norway’s news agency NTB that the Norwegian tourist was slightly injured and was being treated in a local hospital.

Earlier in the day, an explosion occurred in the central square in Istanbul’s historical center, leaving at least 10 people dead and 15 injured.

“While protecting the innocent, we are determined to pursue our active fight against terrorists”, he added.

Yet it’s no secret ISIS and various militant factions have been battling in Syria, with Turkey siding against those groups.

The attack comes at a time of heightened violence between Turkey’s security forces and militants linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, in the country’s mostly-Kurdish southeast.

Istanbul authorities are investigating the incident and the type of the explosives used in the blast, the governor’s office said.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed a Syrian suicide bomber for the attack, which also injured at least 15 people. “Just after the incident, I saw shocked tourists falling to the ground”. “I didn’t lose any friends, but all of the people of Istanbul are our friends and it is very sad to see this happening”.

Ambulances and police were dispatched to the site of the blast near the famous Blue Mosque. A police officer was killed.

“We were sitting inside the shop when we heard a big explosion, which shook the windows”.

The intensity of the blast was tremendously high as its echo was heard more than a mile away.

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey John Bass said: “Our thoughts are with those affected”.

She said she had spoken with both the Turkish prime minister and president who had informed her about the progress of the investigation, and called a special session of her Cabinet to discuss the attack.

Turkish authorities have in recent weeks detained several suspected ISIL members, with officials saying they were planning attacks in Istanbul.

An explosion of unknown origin rocked the historic centre of Istanbul on Tuesday, causing casualties, reports said.

Turkey has faced a series of deadly attacks.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for an attack last July that killed more than 30 people in the southeastern town of Suruc, and another in October killed around 100 people at a peace rally in Ankara.