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Istanbul — A weaponry exploded connected a large pedestrian avenue successful the bosom of Istanbul connected Sunday, sidesplitting six people, wounding dozens and sending radical fleeing arsenic flames rose.
At slightest 81 injuries person been reported truthful acold successful transportation with the blast, according to authorities. Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay, portion visiting the tract of the explosion, told reporters that the blast is considered a violent enactment and that a pistillate was down the attack, according to authorities quality bureau Anadolu. Derya Yanik, the Turkish curate of household and societal services, said successful a tweet that 1 of her colleagues and his girl were 2 of the radical killed successful the explosion.
Footage posted online showed ambulances, occurrence trucks and constabulary astatine the country connected Istiklal Avenue, a fashionable thoroughfare lined with shops and restaurants that leads to the iconic Taksim Square. In 1 video, a large bang could beryllium heard and flames seen arsenic pedestrians turned and ran away.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the blast a "treacherous attack" and said its perpetrators would beryllium punished.
White House property caput Karine Jean-Pierre said the U.S. "strongly condemns the enactment of unit that took place" successful Istanbul.
"Our thoughts are with those who were injured and our deepest condolences spell to those who mislaid loved ones. We basal shoulder-to-shoulder with our NATO Ally Turkiye successful countering terrorism," Jean-Pierre said successful a statement.
Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary-general of NATO, besides responded to quality of the detonation and said the enactment "stands successful solidarity" with Turkey.
"Shocking images from #Istanbul," Stoltenberg tweeted. "My thoughts and deepest condolences to each those affected & to the Turkish people. #NATO stands successful solidarity with our Ally #Türkiye."
In summation to the six radical killed, Istanbul Gov. Ali Yerlikaya initially tweeted that different 53 were wounded — casualty counts that Erdogan besides gave. Yerlikaya aboriginal told authorities quality that the fig had grown to 81, arsenic did Erdogan and Oktay, Anadolu reported.
Police and exigency work members enactment astatine the country aft an detonation connected engaged pedestrian Istiklal thoroughfare successful Istanbul, Turkey, Nov. 13, 2022.
KEMAL ASLAN / Reuters
Erdogan did not accidental who was down the attack, but helium said it had the "smell of terror" without offering details and besides adding that was not perfectly definite yet. He said investigations were ongoing by the constabulary and the governor's office, including reviewing footage of the area. Speaking astatine a quality league held up of his departure to Indonesia for the G20 summit, Erdogan said that aboriginal observations suggest a pistillate was progressive successful the attack, and told reporters that whomever is liable volition beryllium identified, according to Anadolu.
Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told pro-government broadcaster A Haber that investigators were focusing connected a pistillate who sat connected a seat by the country of the blast for astir 40 minutes. The detonation took spot conscionable minutes aft she left. He said her individuality was not yet clear, nor was it wide what radical mightiness beryllium down the attack.
Turkey was deed by a drawstring of deadly bombings betwixt 2015 and 2017 by the Islamic State radical and outlawed Kurdish groups. More than 500 civilians and information unit were killed successful the attacks.
Following those attacks, Turkey launched cross-border subject operations into Syria and bluish Iraq against Kurdish militants, portion besides cracking down connected Kurdish politicians, journalists and activists astatine home.
While the Kurdish militants, known arsenic the PKK, are considered a violent enactment by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, critics accidental Erdogan has besides utilized wide panic laws to stifle escaped speech.
Most recently, Turkey enacted a arguable " disinformation instrumentality " that carries a situation condemnation of up to 3 years for societal media users who disseminate mendacious accusation astir home oregon planetary security, nationalist bid oregon health. Critics person said the wording of the nonfiction is truthful vague, it tin beryllium utilized to stamp retired dissent.
Police connected Sunday said they had identified 25 societal media users who shared "provocative content" that could autumn afoul of that law.
In different illustration of the country's restrictions connected the press, Turkey's media watchdog besides imposed impermanent limits connected reporting connected Sunday's detonation — a determination that bans the usage of close-up videos and photos of the blast and its aftermath. The Supreme Council of Radio and Television has imposed akin bans successful the past, pursuing attacks and accidents.
Access to Twitter and different societal media sites was besides restricted.
French President Emmanuel Macron connected Sunday noted that the Istanbul onslaught came precisely 7 years aft Islamic State extremists killed 130 radical astatine Paris cafes, the Bataclan theatre and France's nationalist stadium.
"On specified a symbolic time for our nation, arsenic we are reasoning of the victims who fell Nov. 13, 2015, the Turkish radical were deed by an onslaught connected their heart, Istanbul," Macron said. "To the Turks: We stock your pain. We basal astatine your broadside successful the combat against terrorism."
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