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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Istanbul hit by suicide bomb attack | Istanbul hit by suicide bomb attack |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| At least five people have been killed and 20 more wounded after a suicide bomb attack hit Istanbul’s main shopping street. | |
| The governor, Vasip Şahin, confirmed that the blast on Saturday morning had been caused by a suicide bomber who had set off the bomb close to the local district governor’s office on Istiklal Street, a pedestrian boulevard lined with international stores and restaurants. | |
| CNNTurk reported that the bomb went off early and that the attacker had wanted to hit another target. According to the governor, one of those killed was the suicide bomber, and three of those injured were in critical condition. | CNNTurk reported that the bomb went off early and that the attacker had wanted to hit another target. According to the governor, one of those killed was the suicide bomber, and three of those injured were in critical condition. |
| Meanwhile, the Israeli foreign ministry has confirmed that there were Israeli citizens among the wounded. | Meanwhile, the Israeli foreign ministry has confirmed that there were Israeli citizens among the wounded. |
| Policesealed off the scene and helicopters were circling overhead as security forces investigated the area. Several ambulances rushed to the scene. | Policesealed off the scene and helicopters were circling overhead as security forces investigated the area. Several ambulances rushed to the scene. |
| A witness told the Guardian that he heard a loud explosion and several injured people sprawled on the ground before running from the scene. Turkey’s broadcasting agency, RTÜK, has issued a broadcast ban. | A witness told the Guardian that he heard a loud explosion and several injured people sprawled on the ground before running from the scene. Turkey’s broadcasting agency, RTÜK, has issued a broadcast ban. |
| The deputy prime minister, Numan Kurtulmuş, condemned the attack and vowed that Turkey would not be cowered by terrorism. | The deputy prime minister, Numan Kurtulmuş, condemned the attack and vowed that Turkey would not be cowered by terrorism. |
| “They want to scare Turkey with these attacks,” he said during a visit in the Black Sea town of Ordu. “They want citizens to lock themselves in at home. They want citizens to be unable to leave the house. But no, they can do whatever they want, but we will not get used to terror.” | “They want to scare Turkey with these attacks,” he said during a visit in the Black Sea town of Ordu. “They want citizens to lock themselves in at home. They want citizens to be unable to leave the house. But no, they can do whatever they want, but we will not get used to terror.” |
| There have not been any immediate claims of responsibility. | There have not been any immediate claims of responsibility. |
| Turkey’s foreign minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, vowed that the government’s fight against terror would continue. | Turkey’s foreign minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, vowed that the government’s fight against terror would continue. |
| “Terrorism once again showed its ugly and treacherous face, and targeted civilians,” he said in a statement. “Our struggle against terrorism will continue in the most decisive manner and on all levels, both here and abroad. We expect the whole world, first and foremost Europe, to cooperate with us in the fight against terrorism.” | “Terrorism once again showed its ugly and treacherous face, and targeted civilians,” he said in a statement. “Our struggle against terrorism will continue in the most decisive manner and on all levels, both here and abroad. We expect the whole world, first and foremost Europe, to cooperate with us in the fight against terrorism.” |
| On Thursday, Germany closed both its embassy in Ankara and its general consulate in Istanbul because of the threat of a “possible imminent attack”. | On Thursday, Germany closed both its embassy in Ankara and its general consulate in Istanbul because of the threat of a “possible imminent attack”. |
| The German school and the Goethe Institute in Istanbul, both of which are in the Taksim area, have also been shut. Istanbul’s governor on Friday accused the German diplomatic mission of creating panic and for reacting prematurely to “unconfirmed information”. | The German school and the Goethe Institute in Istanbul, both of which are in the Taksim area, have also been shut. Istanbul’s governor on Friday accused the German diplomatic mission of creating panic and for reacting prematurely to “unconfirmed information”. |
| Turkey has been on high alert after suffering a string of deadly terrorist attacks on its soil. More than 200 people have died in five major bombings since July of last year. Last Sunday, suicide bombers killed 37 people at a bus stop in the Turkish capital, Ankara. The militant Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (Tak) claimed responsibility for the attack. | Turkey has been on high alert after suffering a string of deadly terrorist attacks on its soil. More than 200 people have died in five major bombings since July of last year. Last Sunday, suicide bombers killed 37 people at a bus stop in the Turkish capital, Ankara. The militant Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (Tak) claimed responsibility for the attack. |
| The group, an offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK), said that the bombing came in retaliation for ongoing security operations in the predominantly Kurdish south-east, and threatened that attacks would continue. Tak previously claimed responsibility for a separate suicide car bombing in Ankara last month that killed 29 people. | The group, an offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK), said that the bombing came in retaliation for ongoing security operations in the predominantly Kurdish south-east, and threatened that attacks would continue. Tak previously claimed responsibility for a separate suicide car bombing in Ankara last month that killed 29 people. |