A bomb rocked a busy pedestrian street in the heart of Istanbul on Sunday, killing six people, injuring several dozen and sending panicked people fleeing the fiery blast or huddling into cafes and shops. Emergency vehicles rushed to the scene on Istiklal Avenue, a popular street with shops and restaurants that leads to the iconic Taksim Square. In a video posted online, there was a loud bang and a flash as the pedestrians turned and fled. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the blast a “treasonous attack” and said the perpetrators would be punished. He did not say who was behind the attack, but said there was a “smell of terror” without elaborating and also added that this was not yet certain. Sunday’s blast was a shocking reminder of the anxiety and security concerns that dogged the Turkish population during the years when such attacks were commonplace. The country was hit by a series of deadly bombings between 2015 and 2017, some by the Islamic State group, others by Kurdish fighters seeking increased autonomy or independence. In recent years, Erdogan has led a widespread crackdown on militants as well as Kurdish lawmakers and activists. Amid soaring inflation and other economic woes, Erdogan’s anti-terror campaign is a key rallying point for him ahead of next year’s presidential and parliamentary elections. Erdogan, who left Sunday for the Group of 20 summit in Indonesia, said six people were killed. Vice President Fuat Oktai put the number of injured at 81, with two in serious condition, and also said it appeared to be a terrorist attack. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told pro-government A Haber television that investigators were focusing on a woman who sat on a bench next to the blast site for about 40 minutes. The explosion occurred minutes after she left. He said her identity was not yet clear, nor was it clear which group might be behind the attack. A manager of a restaurant near where the bomb went off said he heard the explosion and saw people running. The dozens of customers inside his restaurant, including women and children, panicked and screamed. The manager, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, said he closed the shutters of his restaurant, fearing there could be another explosion, and tried to calm customers. After about 15 to 25 minutes inside, he saw the police on the avenue and organized his customers and staff to leave in small groups. Many foreign governments expressed their condolences, including neighboring Greece with which relations are strained. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said he was “shocked and saddened by the news of the heinous attack”. Following attacks between 2015 and 2017 that left more than 500 civilians and security personnel dead, Turkiye launched cross-border military operations in Syria and northern Iraq against Kurdish fighters, while also cracking down on Kurdish politicians, journalists and activists at home. While the Kurdish militants, known as the PKK, are considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, critics say Erdogan has also used broad terrorism laws to stifle free speech. Most recently, Turkiye enacted a controversial “disinformation law” that carries up to three years in prison for social media users who spread false information about domestic or international security, public order or health. Critics have said the article’s wording is so vague, it can be used to kill off dissent. Police announced Sunday that they had identified 25 social media users who were sharing “provocative content” that could be in violation of that law. In another example of the country’s restrictions on the press, Turkey’s media watchdog also imposed temporary restrictions on reporting on Sunday’s blast — a move that bans the use of close-up videos and photos of the blast and its aftermath. The Supreme Broadcasting Council has imposed similar bans in the past, following attacks and accidents. Access to Twitter and other social networking sites was also restricted. French President Emmanuel Macron noted on Sunday that the Istanbul attack came exactly seven years after Islamic State militants killed 130 people in Paris cafes, the Bataclan theater and France’s national stadium. “On such a symbolic day for our nation, as we reflect on the victims of November 13, 2015, the Turkish people were attacked in their heartland, Istanbul,” Macron said. “To the Turks: We share your pain. We stand by your side in the fight against terrorism.”
Associated Press reporters Cavit Ozgul and Khalil Hamra contributed to this report.
