Erdogan condemned the “horrific attack” in Istanbul and confirmed six deaths World | T.W.

Turkey’s president, conservative Islamist Recep Tayyip Erdogan, confirmed that at least 6 people were killed and 53 injured in a terrorist bomb attack in central Istiklal Street in Istanbul this Sunday (11.13.2022). “There are people who died in the bomb attack at 4:20 pm. [14:20 CET] In Istiqlal. I offer my condolences to the deceased and my best wishes for the recovery of the injured. The government will find the organizers of this terrorist attack,” Erdogan said in an appearance on TRT public television.

“Four people died at the scene and two at the hospital; according to the latest information, six people died and 53 people were injured,” the president added. Istiklal Street, a shop-lined pedestrian avenue that starts at the iconic Taksim Square, is packed with passers-by at all times, including many tourists. Erdogan spoke minutes before departing for Indonesia where the G20 leaders’ summit will begin on Tuesday.

“The perpetrators of this heinous attack will be unmasked. People can rest assured that the aggressors will be punished,” he added. However, he himself admitted that the hypothesis of a terrorist attack has not yet been confirmed. “Of course, if we say it is an act of terrorism, we may be wrong. But the governor (of Istanbul, Ali Yerlikaya) told me that it looks like terrorism. A woman is believed to be involved. But the decision will be made after the final investigation,” he said.

However, shortly after, the country’s vice president, Fouad Oghte, appeared before the press and accused “a woman” of “detonating the bomb”. In addition, a new presence raised the number of wounded to more than eighty. Meanwhile, Turkish radio and television authority RTUK imposed a “temporary ban” on broadcasting images of the scene and provided no information about possible suspects, other than statements from authorities, which would not disrupt the ongoing investigation.

2016 saw a number of terrorist attacks in Turkey, most of which were carried out by the Islamic State terrorist group’s networks in Istanbul and its airport, one of which was on Istiklal Street. However, after a massacre by a jihadist at a nightclub on the banks of the Bosphorus on New Year’s Eve that year and the arrest of a teacher, no further attacks were recorded in the city.

lgc (efe/apf)
Last updated at 20:00 with reports from Fuat Oktay.