Suicide attack hits Istanbul

ISTANBUL, Turkey (Kurdistan24) – On Saturday, an explosion hit Istiklal Street of Taksim area in Istanbul, the most populous city in Turkey.

A Kurdistan24 reporter near the site learned that more than 10 people were killed, and several others have been wounded. However, the Istanbul governor office said that four were killed, and about 20 were injured.

The Kurdistan24 reporter said the casualty count continues to rise as ambulances head to the scene of the explosion on the busy pedestrian street.

Ambulances and police vehicles have been deployed in the area amid unconfirmed reports that a suicide bomber was responsible for the attack.

Taksim Square is the city’s busiest pedestrian and shopping street that includes restaurants, shops, bars, clubs and other stores and services. 

The photo below, taken from a building overlooking the scene, shows at least five people on the ground.

Dogan News Agency reported that six wounded victims were taken to the Haseki Hospital, with one of them in critical condition. Another two victims are in severe condition at Şişli Etfal Hospital.

Of the 20 wounded, three people were in serious condition, the governor said in a statement. There were three Israeli citizens among the wounded, Turkey's Dogan News Agency reported.

At the moment, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

This attack follows two suicide bombings within the last three weeks in the capital, Ankara.

Last week, a car bomb in Turkey’s capital city of Ankara left at least 37 dead and 75 wounded. The explosion occurred in the central area of the city and comes after several bomb attacks that have rocked Turkey’s capital, the most deadly of which was an assault on a peace demonstration in October which killed 103 people.

Reporting by Hisham Arafat

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany