At least 38 people, most of them police officers, were killed, and over 150 people injured in two separate blasts that targeted Turkish security forces in the vicinity of Besiktas stadium in Istanbul.
Thirty police officers, seven civilians, and an unidentified person were killed in the bombings, according to Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu.
“According to the latest information we have received, 38 of our nation's children have reached martyrdom after last night's cruel attack,” Soylu told a news conference, RT reports citing Reuters. He added that Kurdish militants were believed to be responsible for the atrocity.
At least 155 more people suffered injuries of varying severity. They are now being treated in the hospital and 14 of them are said to be in intensive care, Turkish Minister of Health Recep Akdag reported.
The blast outside the stadium took place shortly after a soccer match between two of Turkey's top teams, and was caused by a car bomb detonated remotely at around 10:30pm local time, Soylu said. The first explosion was followed by a suicide attack at Macka Park about 45 seconds later.
Police have so far taken 10 suspects into custody over potential links to the attack, the minister added.
While a total of 166 people were wounded, some have already been discharged, with 17 injured undergoing surgery, Health Minister Recep Akdag said. At least six victims are in intensive care.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that terrorists targeted both police officers and civilians in a way that was apparently designed to maximize casualties.
He said that, “a terrorist attack has been carried out against our security forces and our citizens. It has been understood that the explosions after the Besiktas-Bursaspor football game aimed to maximize casualties. As a result of these attacks, unfortunately, we have martyrs and wounded,” he said. No matter which terrorist organization was behind the attacks in Istanbul, be it the PKK, ISIS, or Gulen’s FETO movement, Erdogan promised to eradicate extremists.
