Istanbul Blast was an terrorist attack?
According to Turkish authorities, an explosion on Istanbul’s most well-known commercial street killed at least six people and injured 81 others.
The blast on Istiklal Avenue on Sunday was described as an attack by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who vowed to find those responsible.
He promised that those responsible for the incident on Istiklal Avenue would be punished severely. To quote from the official statement: “The relevant units of our state continue to work to uncover the perpetrators of this treacherous attack and the groups behind it.”
No one immediately claimed responsibility or offered an explanation.
Hasan Ozsut, who runs a shop and claims to have been up to 500 yards away from the blast, saw four people lying on the ground and many more fleeing.
He said “God knows who’s going to hold the responsibility this time,”
Ozsut was also worried about the impact the explosion would have on holiday visitors to Turkey.
Multiple previous attacks have occurred in Istanbul. A gunman opened fire on a New Year’s Eve club, killing 39 people. Nearly eighty others were hurt as well. Trucks were used in a series of suicide bombings that occurred in four different parts of the city in 2003.
The White House press secretary issued a statement condemning the explosion, calling it a “act of violence.”
In a press release, spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said, “We stand shoulder to shoulder with our NATO Ally.”
The explosion is being investigated by five prosecutors, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.
Bodies can be seen lying on the road in videos posted online. A temporary ban on reporting on the explosion was imposed by Turkey’s media watchdog, prohibiting broadcasters from showing videos of the explosion or its aftermath. In the wake of previous attacks and accidents, the Supreme Council of Radio and Television has imposed similar bans.
