The famed pedestrian Istiklal Avenue in Istanbul was struck by an explosion on Sunday, leaving at least six people dead and 53 more hurt. Official sources verified the casualties.
Before leaving for Indonesia to attend the G-20 summit, President Recep Tayyip Erdoan told a press conference, “The necessary units of our state are striving to locate the perpetrators behind this horrific attack.”
BREAKING: Footage shows moment of bomb explosion in central #Istanbul, in which at least 6 people have died.#taksim #istiklal #bombapic.twitter.com/YT4h2ZqLrd
— BNL NEWS (@BreakingNLive_) November 13, 2022
A big security cordon has been set up by the police to bar entry to the damaged area out of concern for a second explosion, according to an AFP video journalist on the site.
All entrances were equally barred by a sizable security presence, and it was clear that both police and rescue personnel were heavily deployed.
The explosion happened in the well-known Istiklal shopping district, which is well-liked by both locals and tourists, shortly after 4:00 pm (1300 GMT).
Images shared on social media at the time of the explosion show that it was accompanied by flames and that people instantly ran in all directions out of fright.
