Explosion in Istanbul’s Istikal Avenue, 6 dead, 53 hurt

At least six people were killed and 53 were injured after an explosion in Istanbul’s Istikal Avenue on Sunday. The incident took place around 4:20 pm. Images shared on social media showed the explosion led to a fire. Ambulances and police vehicles rushed to the scene. 

Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, “The relevant units of our state are working to find the perpetrators behind this heinous attack,” at a press conference before leaving for G20 Summit. 

“Initial observations show a woman played a role in the explosion,” he said, and stated “based on initial information from the governor, the explosion could be suspected act of terrorism.”

The Turkish president said a woman is said to be behind the incident and vowed that those who were responsible for the terror attack will fail. 

Turkey was hit by a string of deadly explosions between 2015 and 2017 by the Islamic State and outlawed Kurdish groups. 

This is a developing story. More details will be added.