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Istanbul blasts kill at least 29

The death toll from the two explosions near a soccer stadium in Istanbul has risen to at least 29, Turkey's interior minister says.

A damaged bus after an explosion near Vodafone Arena Stadium, Istanbul
About 20 people have been injured after two explosions near a major soccer stadium in Istanbul. (AAP)

Turkey's Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu says two blasts after an Istanbul soccer match killed have 29 people and wounded 166 others.

The twin Saturday night bombings inflicted high casualties among police, killing 27 officers, as well as two civilians.

In an address early on Sunday, the minister said 10 people had been arrested in connection with the attacks.

The explosions took place shortly after the conclusion of a football match between Besiktas and Bursaspor at the Vodafone Arena, on the European side of Turkey's largest city.

Two explosions were heard late on Saturday night, the first near the Vodafone Arena and the second in a park in the general vicinity of the stadium.

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Soylu indicated that the first may have been be a car bomb and the other a suicide bomber.

The authorities imposed a partial broadcast ban on the incident, as is usual after such incidents in Turkey, hindering access to information.

Official information on the number of casualties was not issued for around four hours after the blast, reporters in Istanbul said.

The Besiktas sports club "vehemently" condemned the attack near its home stadium in Istanbul.

No group has claimed responsibility. There have been a number of bombings in Istanbul, Ankara and other areas in Turkey since last year.

Some bombs, notably those targeting security forces, have been claimed by Kurdish militants while other attacks are blamed on Islamic State.


2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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