Istanbul blast: Female terrorist detonated bomb which killed 6, injured over 81 in Istiklal street

A deadly blast occurred in Turkey’s Istanbul which killed several people and injured even more. The explosion took place on the famous Istiklal shopping street of Istanbul, which is often crowded with people and tourists.

The death toll of the Istanbul explosion currently stands at six, while the number of people injured in the blast has risen up to 81, according to local media reports. The cause behind the explosion is not yet known, but it is being speculated that it was a terrorist attack.

According to several reports, the bombing was carried out by a female attacker. Turkish Vice-President Fuat Oktay, while addressing the nation, said that it was suspected that a female terrorist had detonated the bomb in the busy marketplace.

Till now, no terror organistation has come forward to claim responsibility for the deadly bomb blast. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said that a woman was seen sitting on a bench for around 40 minutes, and left just minutes before the explosion. Two male attackers are also associated with the woman.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip addressed the media shortly after the blast, saying that the incident was a “vile attack” and that the “smell of terrorism is in the air”. He further added that the perpetrators of the attack will be found and brought to justice soon.

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 his restaurant's shutters, fearing there might be another explosion, and tried to calm the customers down.

It was reported that a government official and his young daughter were among the people who died in the explosion in Istanbul. The speculated terrorist attack comes exactly seven years after Islamic State extremists killed 130 people at Paris cafes.

(With inputs from agencies)

READ | Six dead, several injured as deadly explosion rocks Turkey's Istanbul; President Erdogan condemns 'vile attack'