Turkish authorities have reported that an explosion in a popular part of Central Istanbul has killed at least six people and injured 81 others.
According to the governor of the Turkish city, the blast occurred in a retail street near Taksim Square at around 16:20 local time.
Turkish Vice President said that a female terrorist was likely to be the one responsible for the blast, reported BBC. The president of Turkey has promised justice for the victims involved in the incident.
He condemned the “vile attack” and claimed that “the smell of terror” was in the air.
Moreover, according to Turkish media reports, the country’s Minister of Justice said that a woman had sat on a nearby beach for more than 40 minutes before she left.
“There are two possibilities. Either that bag or plastic bag has a mechanism in it, it explodes on its own or someone detonates it from afar. All of these are currently under investigation.”
“The name of the woman is unknown. All the recordings and data about the woman are being analyzed,” said the Turkish Minister of Justice.
So far, no one has taken responsibility for the explosion. An employee of the government ministry and his young daughter were among the victims.
Turkish police have arrested the suspect
Turkish police have arrested a suspect in the bombing in Central Istanbul that left at least six people dead and 81 more injured, reported AlJazeera.
Earlier today, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu informed a news outlet that the suspect in custody was the “person who left the bomb that caused the explosion” on a major street in Turkey’s largest city.