At least 10 killed, 15 injured in central Istanbul explosion


An explosion rocked Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet district Tuesday morning, killing at least 10 people and injuring 15, the Istanbul governor's office said. State-run TV network TRT said the blast appeared to be from a suicide bomber. The Sultanahmet district is popular with tourists, and includes the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace.
Turkey has been hit with several suicide attacks in recent months. Prosecutors blame the Islamic State, but BBC News also says Istanbul has faced sporadic attacks from a far-left group linked to the resumption of hostilities between Turkish forces and PKK Kurdish militants.
Update: In a televised address, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed the attack on a suicide bomber linked to Syria, and said that both Turks and foreigners are among the dead.
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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
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