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HomeNewsAt Least 13 Killed in Twin Blasts Outside Istanbul Soccer Stadium

At Least 13 Killed in Twin Blasts Outside Istanbul Soccer Stadium

Twin explosions outside a soccer stadium in central Istanbul have killed at least 13 people, police sources said, hours after the end of a match between two of Turkey’s top teams.

Broadcaster NTV said 38 people had been wounded but gave no details of any death toll. Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu earlier said around 20 people had been wounded and that there was no immediate information on any deaths.

Mr Soylu, speaking in Parliament during a budget hearing, said initial indications were that the blasts were caused by a car bomb and a suicide bomber targeting a riot police bus.

Turkish Transport Minister Ahmet Arslan said the explosion was a terrorist attack.

The suspected bomber struck in Macka park, next to the Vodafone Arena, home to Istanbul’s Besiktas soccer team, while the second explosion hit directly outside the stadium, Mr Soylu said, describing the attack as a “cruel plot”.

A Reuters photographer said many riot police officers were seriously wounded.

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Omer Yilmiz, who works as a cleaner at the nearby Dolmabahce mosque, was drinking tea at a nearby cafe when the explosions went off.

“It was like hell. The flames went all the way up to the sky,” he said.

“People ducked under the tables, women began crying. Football fans drinking tea at the cafe sought shelter, it was horrible.”

Armed police sealed off streets around the Vodafone Arena. TV footage showed what appeared to be the wreckage of a burned out car and two separate fires on the road outside the stadium.

Broadcaster NTV said the explosion targeted a police vehicle that was leaving the stadium after fans had already dispersed.

Soccer team Bursaspor said none of its fans appeared to have been injured in the explosion.

“We have contacted our fan groups. There appear to be no injuries among our fans. We wish injured citizens a quick recovery,” it said in a statement on its Twitter account.

Turkey has been hit by a series of bombings in recent years, some blamed on Islamic State militants, others claimed by Kurdish and far-leftist militant groups.

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