Comment ISTANBUL — An afternoon blast on one of Turkey’s busiest shopping streets on Sunday killed at least six people and wounded dozens more, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, calling the explosion a “treacherous attack.” Footage shared on social media that appeared to show the explosion – on Istiklal Avenue, a wide, high-rise pedestrian street in Istanbul’s Beyoglu district – showed a small fireball, along with tourists and shoppers screaming and fleeing in panic. An explosion on November 13 rocked a popular pedestrian street in Istanbul. At least six people were killed and dozens injured. (Video: The Washington Post) At least 81 people were injured in the attack. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, shortly before departing Turkey for the Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, Erdogan said: “If we say it’s terror, it might be wrong, but with the initial developments and with the information that my captain has given us, it smacks of terror.” He added that there were “initial” reports that a woman who fled the scene played a role. Turkey in the past decade has been a frequent target of attacks carried out by militants of the Islamic State extremist group or Kurdish groups, among others. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Sunday’s blast and authorities have not named any suspects. Istanbul Governor Ali Gerlikaya said in a message posted on Twitter that the blast occurred shortly after 4pm local time. It was heard for miles around, in a neighborhood known for the tourist attractions and shops that are a draw for the millions of visitors who have ventured into Istanbul as pandemic travel fears have begun to subside. Unverified videos shared on social media showed several bodies lying on the ground in a section of Istiklal near Istanbul’s Taksim Square. Ambulances were seen rushing from the scene shortly after the explosion through crowds of tourists. The mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, appealed for calm on social media and called on people to help authorities at the scene. Later Sunday, Turkey’s Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told local television station A News that before the blast, “a woman was sitting on a bench for 40, 45 minutes” in Istiklal. “After he got up, the explosion happened. All information regarding this woman is currently being investigated. Her name is not clear yet,” the network reported. Istiklal Avenue, sometimes called Istanbul’s Champs-Elysées, was the site of a March 2016 suicide bombing that killed five people, including two US citizens, and injured dozens of others. Every day of the week, the street is filled with people – Turkish citizens, along with tourists from many countries – strolling or visiting large chain stores that have stores in Istiklal, as well as a handful of malls. The street is lined with vendors selling chestnuts, clams and simiti, a type of bread coated with sesame seeds. Musicians play along the avenue, attracting listeners. In the evenings and on weekend days, the crowds are thick. As condolences poured in from world leaders later Sunday, Turkish officials began identifying the victims. Derya Yanik, Turkey’s minister of family and social services, said in a message posted on Twitter that “our colleague” Yusuf Meydan and his daughter Ekrin were among the dead. Turkey’s government has announced an investigation into the attack, saying eight prosecutors have been assigned to the case. It also responded by banning the sharing of information about the blast, other than statements from officials. The country’s radio and television authority announced a “broadcast ban” on coverage of the explosion, according to a message posted on its Twitter account. Another agency, which regulates online communications, said it was implementing “bandwidth reduction” on social media platforms in favor of blocking messages “contrary to press ethics and terrorist content,” local media reported. Timsit reported from London.
