ISTANBUL — A bomb exploded on a popular pedestrian street in Istanbul on Sunday, killing six people, injuring dozens and sending people fleeing as flames rose.
Footage posted online showed ambulances, fire engines and police at the scene on Istiklal Avenue, a typically crowded street popular with tourists and locals and lined with shops and restaurants. In one video, a loud crash is heard and flames are seen as pedestrians turn and run. Social media users said shops were closed and the avenue was closed.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the blast an “insidious attack” and said the perpetrators would be punished. In addition to the six dead, Erdogan said another 53 were injured, according to information he received from Istanbul’s governor.
Turkey was hit by a series of deadly bombings between 2015 and 2017 by the Islamic State group and outlawed Kurdish groups.
Five prosecutors were appointed to investigate the explosion, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
Turkey’s media watchdog imposed temporary restrictions on coverage of the blast, a move that banned the use of videos and close-up photos of the blast and its aftermath. The Supreme Council for Radio and Television imposed similar bans in the pastafter attacks and accidents.
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