A total of 29 people were killed and another 166 were wounded on Dec. 10 when two bombings hit central Istanbul near Beşiktaş's Vodafone Arena Stadium, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu has announced.
Speaking at a press conference early on Dec. 11, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş detailed the bombings saying that the first attack was staged by the detonation of a bomb-laden car in which he said directly targeted riot police near the stadium.
The second attack came 45 seconds after the first one when a suicide bomber blew self up at Maçka Park just across the stadium, Kurtulmuş said.
The interior minister later announced that 27 police officers and two civilians were killed while 166 people were wounded in the twin bombings.
He also added that some 10 suspects were detained after the attack.
The blast occurred at around 10:20 p.m., around 90 minutes after a match between Beşiktaş and Bursaspor ended at the nearby ground.
Upon his arrival from Ankara, Soylu had initially said there were two separate explosions, one of which is being evaluated as a suicide bomb attack in Maçka Park just across the stadium.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım had stated early on Dec. 11 that there were both casualties and injuries in the bomb attacks.
Earlier, Soylu had said there were around 20 injuries in the attack.
Following the attack, Bursaspor stated on its official Twitter account that there were no injuries among its supporters.
Beşiktaş also condemned the attack in a statement issued on its website, in addition to the Turkish Football Federation, Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray and Trabzonspor all condemning the attack.
A number of ambulances were immediately dispatched to the scene as eyewitnesses reported the sound of gunfire after the explosions.
The huge blast was also heard on both sides of the Bosphorus.
Meanwhile, security forces later detonated a suspicious car near the scene in a controlled explosion early on Dec. 11, Doğan News Agency reported.
The premier was immediately briefed about the attack by Soylu and Istanbul Governor Vasip Şahin.
Presidential sources also said President Erdoğan was at the Tarabya Palace by the Bosphorus in Istanbul and he was also briefed by the officials.
Meanwhile, Turkey’s media watchdog, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), announced a gag order on reporting the attack.
A total of six prosecutors were assigned to investigate the attack.
In addition, the U.S. Embassy also condemned the attack, showing solidarity with the country against terror.
"We condemn tonight's cowardly attack, and salute the courage of the Turkish people as we stand with them against terror," the Embassy tweeted.
The U.S. Consulate in Istanbul also stated that it was monitoring the attack, urging its citizens to avoid the area.
"Please avoid the area, monitor local press reporting, and let friends and family know you are OK," the consulate said in a tweet.
The attack also drew condemnation from EU officials.
"Following news from #Istanbul, in contact with authorities. All our solidarity to all citizens of #Turkey," High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini tweeted.
"Strongly condemn attack in #Istanbul! Violence has no place in a democratic society. @EUDelegationTur," Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannnes Hahn tweeted.
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