Suicide attack in Istanbul claims 29 lives

At least 29 people, including 27 police officers, were martyred in two separate bomb attacks in the Besiktas district of Istanbul, Anadolu Agency quoted the country’s interior minister as saying early Sunday.

Two police chiefs were among the deceased and at least 166 people were injured, Suleyman Soylu told reporters in Istanbul.

Ten suspects have been detained as part of an ongoing probe, he added.

Health Minister Recep Akdag said 20 of the injured have been discharged from hospital while 17 are in surgery, and six are in intensive care units, three of them in critical condition.

Two blasts rocked the city, a car bomb followed within the minute by a suicide bomb, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus explained.

Turkish Prime Ministry said in a statement, a day of national mourning has been declared on Sunday.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the attack targeted police and civilians alike, and sought to cause the most casualties.

The explosion occurred two hours after a Turkish football league match between Besiktas and Bursaspor at the Vodafone Arena.

Source: MENA