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| At least 29 killed in 'terrorist' suicide bombing outside Istanbul football stadium | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| At least 29 people have been killed and 166 wounded in two bomb blasts in the Turkish city of Istanbul, Turkey's interior minister has confirmed. | |
| The explosion took place outside the Vodaphone Arena stadium of Besiktas football club, where a game against Bursaspor took place earlier today, and appears to have been targeted at police. | The explosion took place outside the Vodaphone Arena stadium of Besiktas football club, where a game against Bursaspor took place earlier today, and appears to have been targeted at police. |
| Officials said most of the victims were were police officers after the bomb exploded next to a police bus. | Officials said most of the victims were were police officers after the bomb exploded next to a police bus. |
| Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan described the bombings as a terrorist attack. | Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan described the bombings as a terrorist attack. |
| He said: "As a result of these attacks unfortunately we have martyrs and wounded. | He said: "As a result of these attacks unfortunately we have martyrs and wounded. |
| "Nobody should doubt that with God's will, we as a country and a nation will overcome terror, terrorist organisations ... and the forces behind them." | "Nobody should doubt that with God's will, we as a country and a nation will overcome terror, terrorist organisations ... and the forces behind them." |
| Turkey's Interior Minister, Suleyman Soylu, said one attack had taken place directly outside the stadium and another, believed to be a suicide bombing, was carried out in the adjacent Macka park. | Turkey's Interior Minister, Suleyman Soylu, said one attack had taken place directly outside the stadium and another, believed to be a suicide bombing, was carried out in the adjacent Macka park. |
| He told the state-run Anadolu Agency: "It is thought to be a car bomb at a point where our special forces police were located, right after the match at the exit where Bursaspor fans exited, after the fans had left." | |
| Eyewitnesses said they heard two explosions followed by heavy gunfire and saw many injured riot police officers. | Eyewitnesses said they heard two explosions followed by heavy gunfire and saw many injured riot police officers. |
| Pictures from the scene showed smoke rising over the city and residents reported hearing sirens as police rushed to cordon off the bomb site. | Pictures from the scene showed smoke rising over the city and residents reported hearing sirens as police rushed to cordon off the bomb site. |
| Omer Yilmiz, who works as a cleaner at a nearby mosque, told Reuters: "It was like hell. The flames went all the way up to the sky. | Omer Yilmiz, who works as a cleaner at a nearby mosque, told Reuters: "It was like hell. The flames went all the way up to the sky. |
| "I was drinking tea at the cafe next to the mosque.People ducked under the tables, women began crying. Football fans drinking tea at the cafe sought shelter, it was horrible." | "I was drinking tea at the cafe next to the mosque.People ducked under the tables, women began crying. Football fans drinking tea at the cafe sought shelter, it was horrible." |
| It comes two months after a bomb exploded outside an Istanbul police station, injuring at least ten people. In June, a bomb targeting a police bus killed 12 people and injured 51, while three weeks later gunmen killed 45 people at the city's Ataturk Airport. | It comes two months after a bomb exploded outside an Istanbul police station, injuring at least ten people. In June, a bomb targeting a police bus killed 12 people and injured 51, while three weeks later gunmen killed 45 people at the city's Ataturk Airport. |