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| 2 blasts near Besiktas stadium in Istanbul kill at least 15, injure dozens (VIDEOS, PHOTOS) | 2 blasts near Besiktas stadium in Istanbul kill at least 15, injure dozens (VIDEOS, PHOTOS) |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| At least 15 people were 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 15 people were killed, and several dozens more injured in two separate blasts which allegedly targeted Turkish security forces in the vicinity of Besiktas stadium in Istanbul. |
| Turkey's health ministry confirmed that at least 15 people were killed and 69 others injured in the blasts, according to Yeniakit news. | |
| READ MORE: Moment of terrifying Istanbul explosion caught on camera (VIDEOS) | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
| Turkish Prime Minister Yıldırım issued a statement saying that terrorists will not be able to defeat the "integrity of the state" and will not turn Turkey away from the path of democracy. The PM also confirmed that an explosives-laden vehicle targeted Turkish security forces outside the stadium. | Turkish Prime Minister Yıldırım issued a statement saying that terrorists will not be able to defeat the "integrity of the state" and will not turn Turkey away from the path of democracy. The PM also confirmed that an explosives-laden vehicle targeted Turkish security forces outside the stadium. |
| A game between two of Turkey's top teams, Besiktas and Bursaspor, was held at the arena on Saturday evening. | |
| “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. |
| None of Bursaspor's fans were injured in the incident, the team reported on Twitter, saying it checked the information with fan groups. | |
| 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. |
| Turkey witnessed several terrorist attacks in its two biggest cities, Ankara and Istanbul, this year, as the country continued its bloody campaign against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the southeast of the country. Ankara has also been stepping up its military operations inside Syria and Iraq over the last year against Islamic State militants. | |
| The government alleges that PKK has twice struck Ankara this year, while suspected ISIS suicide bombers have hit Istanbul on three occasions. | |