A Syrian national blew himself up in a historic district of Istanbul popular with tourists Tuesday morning, killing at least 10 people and wounding 15 others, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.
And the attack is prompting calls for Turkey to tighten its border, which countless Syrian migrants have crossed over the past several months.
In the United States, news of the attacks has also raised fresh questions about border security and President Barack Obama’s commitment to taking in more Syrian nationals.
Erdogan said in televised remarks that both Turks and foreigners were among the dead in the explosion in the Sultanahmet district.
“I strongly condemn the terror incident that occurred in Istanbul, at the Sultanahmet Square, and which has been assessed as being an attack by a Syria-rooted suicide bomber,” Erdogan said.
Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said the bomber was a 28-year-old Syrian national. He said most of the people who died were foreigners, many German. It was unclear whether the death toll of 10 included the alleged bomber.
The explosion, which could be heard from several neighborhoods, was at a park that is home to a landmark obelisk, some 25 meters (yards) from the historic Blue Mosque.
Turkey’s Dogan news agency reported that at least six Germans, one Norwegian and one Peruvian were among the wounded, and Seoul’s Foreign Ministry told reporters via text message that one South Korean had a finger injury. The Norwegian Foreign Ministry told Norway’s news agency NTB that the Norwegian tourist was slightly hurt and was being treated in a local hospital.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, although the Islamic State group was suspected.
Last year, Turkey agreed to take a more active role in the U.S.-led battle against the ISIS group. Turkey opened its bases to U.S. aircraft to launch air raids on the extremist group in Syria and has carried out a limited number of strikes on the group itself.
It has also moved to tighten security along its 900-kilometer (560-mile) border with Syria in a bid to stem the flow of militants.
The country is also dealing with more than 2 million Syrian refugees and a wave of migrants from Syria and other countries pouring across Turkey to Europe.
Erdem Koroglu, who was working at a nearby office, told NTV television he saw several people on the ground following the blast.
“It was difficult to say who was alive or dead,” Koroglu said. “Buildings rattled from the force of the explosion.”
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu immediately convened a security meeting with the country’s interior minister and other officials.
As with previous attacks, authorities imposed a news blackout, barring media from showing images of the dead or injured or reporting any details of the investigation.
Turkey suffered two major bombing attacks last year, both blamed on the Islamic State group.
More than 30 people were killed in a suicide attack in the town of Suruc, near Turkey’s border with Syria, in July.
Two suicide bombs exploded in October outside Ankara’s main train station as people gathered for a peace rally, killing more than 100 in Turkey’s deadliest-ever attack. The prosecutor’s office said that attack was carried out by a local Islamic State cell.
Last month, Turkish authorities arrested two suspected Islamic State militants they said were planning suicide bombings during New Year’s celebrations in the capital Ankara.
The Associated Press contributed to this article
And remember folks your fake, criminal, Usurper potus is forcing these same muslim criminals down your throat, compromising National security which NSA, DoD have come out against since day 1! Time to prosecute this criminal in the WH! He appears to care nothing for our security in this country.
It is not time to prosecute him It is time to ELIMINATE HIM from this earth.
Time to wake up America! We’ve already been given over to Islamic control when our not born in America president was put into office.Nothing short of a miracle can save us now.
Our POTUS’s mother was a white native born American citizen. But none of you haters pay attention to facts.
She was also a communist, which none of you bozo kool ade drinkers can fathom.
Dell,
Are you BLIND to what has transpired since this man has been our Commander in Chief?!
The ‘Hater’ is residing in the White House!
Hey Dell, Get lost you dope. His mother, father and grandparents were flaming Commies, so as someone you admire very much said, “What difference does it make”, O blow mo is a Communist too!!
Oh yes she would..just as bad. She identifies with Islam as well.
If our government would do their job they would impeach him now
The religion of peace is now striking at the nation of “Erdogan the Imam”, Islam truly is a HATEGROUP, just like the KKK.
Not ISLAM. ISLAM EXTREMISTS. We have lots of law abiding Muslims living right here if you didn’t know.
The KKK was made up of all Christians. So I guess that means all Christians are hateful huh??
The KKK were not Christians. I can call myself a fairy but of course that is not true. TRUE Christians do no hate or kill. These KKK were the farthest thing from being Christian. Followers of Christ are a loving and peaceable people.
The KKK was formed by the Democrats of the South, now does that mean all Democrats are haters? I do have to admit that in todays age most of the haters are the Democrats! Ponder that for awhile…
Not all Muslim’s are terrorists but all terrorists are Muslim’s. America is a Christian nation do not come here unless you are willing to give your religion of hate.
We do so have Christian terrorists! What about the SC Church shooter, and many others? Is you attention span that short? There are bad people of all groups who will do these horrible things.
TRUE Christians do not hate or kill. Don’t call killers Christian. It’s impossible for a Christian to hate. It’s not in our dna. If a bad person says he/she is Christian, they lie. We follow Jesus Christ who loved mankind and was always ready to forgive. If you say otherwise than you do not know what you are talking about.
The point is the culture is very very different. Rape is a norm for them . They treat women as second class citizens. Why are you people so dense ? You know if one if your children or family members get hurt or kolled I think your whole additude would change. There are better ways to do this. Saudi Arabia wont take any. Everywhere the migrants have gone crime has risen tremendously.
The Sandy Hook shooter and the Aurora Colorado movie theater shooter weren’t Muslim! Or perhaps you think they didn’t really happen. But then maybe all of the terrorist events were all staged. HA HA!
You mean like The Black Panthers
If you don’t know history, you’re bound to repeat it- a wise man once said- ISIS-ISISL- I call them-“Icicle” because they are a frustrated gang of Hate, looking for all the Attention they can get-They are neither- Muslim-or Christian or Jew or Hindu or any other “religion”- but worship a “god” named- BAAL-
{who requires blood sacrifices {including their own} as they murder innocent people of all Faiths- This so-called “god” demanded the death of all first born sons. Abraham went to the mountain to sacrifice Isaac.* the True God-[Our Father, the WORD] stopped Abraham, and sent a lamb , to sacrifice,>>in the baby boy’s place-
Read the last book of “biblios” and you’ll see the predictions—————– Hate- Death- Destruction Versus-
– Love, Compassion, especially>Truth . {“behold, I make all things NEW!”-J.C.}
Love will overcome as we believe and *know The Great Spirit of Truth from this Land.- – a grey eagle
And why is it that Obama wants to let more of them in the U.S.A. ?
Bla Bla Bla….fact is ther ARE here, even in Hilo, Hawaii. And we need to deal with them one way or another. When I read and see a video of a “M” person going to an American school and tell them “We are coming” when she doesn’t like what they are teaching in school or like that they are serving “PIG” for lunch. Then we need to deal with them. Budist, Monks, Vietnamese, and all the Religions that come with them don’t try to change our school system, our govenment system, etc. etc. etc. They buy land and then tell the person next to them to move your pig farm. What is that all about. Try that anywhere else in the World. Or would you even think about doing in it ???. We need to keep them where they are, in their own country and just help them help their own people WHERE THEY ARE AT. If they don’t want our help let them go back to fighting like they have been doing for 100 years.
Mr O is letting them in when you don’t even know it. Word is our that planes are coming in at night. Converted UPS planes is wha the word is. AND if it is true more than his 10K have been let in. This country has gone insane with bleeding hearts!!!
Hate to say this but the kkk was started by liberals to get rid of republicans. It later went on to murder 5000 black people and 3000 whites.
Lord, JESUS CHRIST help us! Some don’t believe Lord, that You will do something about this. Show them Lord. Glorify yourself. Bind the TERRORISTS from going through with any strategies or plans. Make their weapons useless. Protect the Innocent civilians. Give America WISDOM to vote in the right person in. Don’t let anyone You Lord, don’t want in. I trust in You Lord. MARANATHA!!
We have had a Manchurian Candidate in the WH for seven years. He was raised to hate this country and its founders.
He has been an egotistical fraud all of his adult life. As the great liberal Harry Reid said, ” he’s clean and doesn’t speak with a negro accent …” That fact beguiled many people before, during and after he obtained an Ivy League degree for free . His messianic complex drove him to write a biography after graduation from undergrad school. Please ! Give me a break !
His election TWICE shows how stupid our citizenry has become, especially emotionally driven soccer moms who wanted to prove to their liberal friends they weren’t racists after all . Shame on you for placing the future survival of our country in the hands of bloviating empty suit with a terrible “Occupy Wall Street ” agenda !
No wonder the world has nothing but contempt for Americans .
I bet the people who are duping these idiots into blowing themselves up have no plans to actually follow their own advice.