Istanbul blast: 6 dead, over 50 injured in Turkey explosion; 'smells like terrorism' says Prez Erdogan

Istanbul, Nov 13: Six people were killed and 53 injured after an explosion rocked the busy Istiklal pedestrian street of Central Istanbul in Turkey on Sunday. President Tayyip Erdogan has called the bomb attack that "smells like terrorism".

"Efforts to defeat Turkey and the Turkish people through terrorism will fail today just as they did yesterday and as they will again tomorrow," Reuters quoted Erdogan as saying at a news conference in Istanbul.

"Our people can rest assured that the culprits behind the attack will be punished as they deserve," he said, adding that initial information suggested "a woman played a part" in it.

The video clipping doing rounds showed ambulances, fire trucks and police at the scene on Istiklal Avenue, a typically crowded thoroughfare popular with tourists and locals and lined with shops and restaurants.

"It would be wrong to say this is undoubtedly a terrorist attack but the initial developments and initial intelligence from my governor is that it smells like terrorism," he added.

Nobody has claimed responsibility for the blast, yet.

However, this is not the first time where Istanbul and other Turkish cities have witnessed such activities. In the past, Kurdish separatists, Islamist militants and other groups have carried out attacks.

Five prosecutors were assigned to investigate the blast, state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

Turkey's media watchdog imposed temporary restrictions on reporting on the explosion - a move that bans the use of close-up videos and photos of the blast and its aftermath. The Supreme Council of Radio and Television has imposed similar bans in the past, following attacks and accidents, according to a report in PTI.

India condoles loss of lives in blast in Istanbul
Meanwhile, India has conveyed its "deepest condolences" to the government and people of Turkey over the "tragic loss of lives" in a blast in Istanbul.

"India conveys its deepest condolences to the Government and people of Türkiye on the tragic loss of lives in the blast that took place in Istanbul today," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted. "Our sympathies are also with those who sustained injuries. We wish them a speedy recovery," he said.