UPDATE: 13:43 p.m. IST — The death toll from the bomb blast in Istanbul on Tuesday went up to 11, Reuters reported, quoting Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin as saying. At least seven policemen were among the deceased.
As many as 36 people have sustained injuries. Three of the injured people are said to be in a critical condition.
Original Story —
At least two people were killed and eight injured when a bomb-laden car exploded near a police vehicle in central Istanbul's Beyazıt district, according to Turkish media.
The incident took place when the police vehicle was passing by the car. The car bomb was detonated by a remote control, the Guardian reported, citing TRT World channel.
According to the pictures in the media and a Reuters witness, the bomb attack hit two police vehicles and one of them overturned on the median strip of the road where the incident took place.
Reuters cited the state-run Anadolu Agency as stating that gunshots were also fired after the explosion.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. However, Turkey has been recently targeted by the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the Islamic State group. Turkey has allowed the United States to use its air base to carry out assaults against ISIS.
A car bomb in Turkey's capital Ankara on March 13 killed at least 37 people and injured 125 others. The attack was claimed by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), a group that split up from PKK.
