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| 2 blasts near Besiktas stadium in Istanbul kill at least 13, injure dozens (VIDEOS, PHOTOS) | 2 blasts near Besiktas stadium in Istanbul kill at least 13, injure dozens (VIDEOS, PHOTOS) |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| At least 13 people were reportedly killed, and several dozens more injured in two separate blasts which allegedly targeted Turkish security forces in the vicinity of Besiktas stadium in Istanbul. | At least 13 people were reportedly killed, and several dozens more injured in two separate blasts which allegedly targeted Turkish security forces in the vicinity of Besiktas stadium in Istanbul. |
| The explosion killed at least 13 people, Reuters reported, citing security sources. Meanwhile Al Jazeera reported at least 15 casualties. Meanwhile, Turkish channel NTV said that at least 70 people had been wounded and are now being treated at city hospitals. | The explosion killed at least 13 people, Reuters reported, citing security sources. Meanwhile Al Jazeera reported at least 15 casualties. Meanwhile, Turkish channel NTV said that at least 70 people had been wounded and are now being treated at city hospitals. |
| READ MORE: Moment of terrifying Istanbul explosion caught on camera (VIDEOS) | |
| According to the Interior Minister, Suleyman Soylu, two separate explosions happened, one outside the stadium and another one near Macka Park. | |
| Turkish broadcaster NTV cited the minister as saying that one of the blasts was a suicide bomb. The blast outside the stadium happened at around 10:30pm local time, more than an hour after the end of the match. | |
| The blast likely targeted a riot police bus, the minister said. | The blast likely targeted a riot police bus, the minister said. |
| “It is thought that it was a car bomb at a point where our special police forces were located, right after the match at the exit where Bursaspor fans left, after the fans departed,” the Guardian quoted Soylu as saying. | “It is thought that it was a car bomb at a point where our special police forces were located, right after the match at the exit where Bursaspor fans left, after the fans departed,” the Guardian quoted Soylu as saying. |
| 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. | |
| Turkish Transport Minister Ahmet Arslan called the explosion outside the stadium a “terrorist” act. He expressed his condolences to the victims’ families on Twitter. | Turkish Transport Minister Ahmet Arslan called the explosion outside the stadium a “terrorist” act. He expressed his condolences to the victims’ families on Twitter. |
| “Two explosions happened Saturday after a football match,” Alaattin Kilic, a reporter from Istanbul, told RT. “The attacks targeted a police bus as it was leaving the stadium after [a] ... security job.” | “Two explosions happened Saturday after a football match,” Alaattin Kilic, a reporter from Istanbul, told RT. “The attacks targeted a police bus as it was leaving the stadium after [a] ... security job.” |
| Police, according to the reporter, immediately intervened with water cannon to extinguish the fires caused by the explosion. Rescue units are currently working at the scene, Kilic stressed. | Police, according to the reporter, immediately intervened with water cannon to extinguish the fires caused by the explosion. Rescue units are currently working at the scene, Kilic stressed. |
| Meanwhile, two witnesses told Reuters they heard two blasts outside the Vodafone Arena | Meanwhile, two witnesses told Reuters they heard two blasts outside the Vodafone Arena |
| “It was like hell. The flames went all the way up to the sky. I was drinking tea at the cafe next to the mosque,” said Omer Yilmiz, who works as a cleaner at the nearby Dolmabahce mosque. | “It was like hell. The flames went all the way up to the sky. I was drinking tea at the cafe next to the mosque,” said Omer Yilmiz, who works as a cleaner at the nearby Dolmabahce mosque. |
| “People ducked under the tables, women began crying. Football fans drinking tea at the cafe sought shelter, it was horrible,” he told Reuters. | “People ducked under the tables, women began crying. Football fans drinking tea at the cafe sought shelter, it was horrible,” he told Reuters. |
| Pictures of grey clouds rising near Besiktas stadium quickly emerged online. Those were followed by images and videos of the explosion's aftermath. | Pictures of grey clouds rising near Besiktas stadium quickly emerged online. Those were followed by images and videos of the explosion's aftermath. |
| Many Turkish riot police have been seriously injured in the blast, according to a Reuters witness. | Many Turkish riot police have been seriously injured in the blast, according to a Reuters witness. |
| Police have sealed off the streets around the Besiktas Vodafone Arena, Reuters said citing a witness. | Police have sealed off the streets around the Besiktas Vodafone Arena, Reuters said citing a witness. |
| A game between two of Turkey's top teams, Besiktas and Bursaspor, was held at the arena on Saturday evening. The explosion happened after the match finished and the fans already dispersed. | A game between two of Turkey's top teams, Besiktas and Bursaspor, was held at the arena on Saturday evening. The explosion happened after the match finished and the fans already dispersed. |
| None of Bursaspor's fans were injured in the incident, the team reported on Twitter, saying it checked the information with fan groups. | None of Bursaspor's fans were injured in the incident, the team reported on Twitter, saying it checked the information with fan groups. |