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January 2016 Istanbul bombing

Coordinates: 41°0′21.24″N 28°58′31.43″E / 41.0059000°N 28.9753972°E / 41.0059000; 28.9753972
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41°0′21.24″N 28°58′31.43″E / 41.0059000°N 28.9753972°E / 41.0059000; 28.9753972

2016 Istanbul bombing
LocationSultanahmet, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey
Date12 January 2016
TargetForeign tourists
Attack type
Suicide bombing
Deaths10 (not including the perpetrator)[1]
Injured15[1]
PerpetratorsIslamic State of Iraq and the Levant
No. of participants
1 (Nabil Fadli)

On 12 January 2016 at 10:20 local time, there was a suicide attack in Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet Square district near the Blue Mosque, an area that is popular among tourists. The explosion killed at least 10 people and another 15 were injured. The attacker was Nabil Fadli, a Saudi Arabian-born Syrian national and member of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).[2]

Background

See also: 2015 Istanbul suicide bombing, 2015 Suruç bombing, and 2015 Ankara bombings

The last major attack on Sultanahmet Square occurred on 6 January 2015, when a suicide bomber detonated herself at a police station. The DHKP-C initially took responsibility for the attack but later retracted this claim.[3]

In 2015, Turkey suffered two major bombing attacks. In July, 33 people were killed in an Islamic State suicide attack in the town of Suruç, near Turkey's border with Syria. In August, two suicide bombers detonated explosives which killed more than 100 people outside Ankara's main train station as people gathered for a peace rally. It was Turkey's deadliest attack. The prosecutor's office said it was carried out by a local Islamic State cell.[4]

In December 2015, Turkish police detained two suspected ISIL militants believed to be planning suicide attacks during New Year's celebrations in central Ankara, following which the government of Turkey cancelled planned New Year's celebrations in Ankara.[5] There were additional arrests connected to ISIL on 11 January of three men arrested en route to Diyarbakir.[6]

Attack

Deaths by citizenship
Nationality Deaths
German * 9[7]
Peruvian * 1[7]
Total 10
* Counts are based on preliminary data and may not be complete.

The blast struck at 8:20 am (GMT) around the Obelisk of Theodosius,[2] when the bomber walked up to a tour group standing in Sultanahmet Square and blew himself up.[8] The explosion was at a park that is home to a landmark obelisk, some 25 metres (82 ft) from the historic Blue Mosque[9][10][11] and was heard from several neighbourhoods.[12] Police sealed the area and the nearby tram service was halted amid fears of a second blast.[2] Graphic images of the explosion and its aftermath spread across social media.[8]

News reports suggests that of the ten killed in total, nine were German tourists.[13] News media reported that fifteen people were wounded including six Germans, one Norwegian, one Peruvian and a South Korean.[7]

The attack was carried out by a male suicide bomber of Syrian origin born in 1988.[14][15]

The office of Istanbul governor said that ten people died and fifteen were injured.[1][16][17][18] The Guardian reported that "the bombing happened close to the German built fountain next to the plaza between the mosques of Hagia Sophia and Sultan Ahmet, Ghaith Abdul-Ahad."[19]

Reaction

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu confirmed that the perpetrator of the attack was a 28-year-old Syrian man and was affiliated with IS. He further said that the bomber was not on Turkey's militant watch-list and believed to have recently crossed into Turkey from Syria.[9] Davutoğlu also called German Chancellor Angela Merkel to offer his condolences.[9] Various Turkish media outlets reported that the attacker had been identified as Nabil Fadli, a Saudi Arabian-born Syrian national.[2] Davutoğlu immediately convened a security meeting with the Turkish interior minister. He said "We pledged to battle the ISIS until it no longer "remains a threat" to Turkey or the world. Turkey won't backtrack in its struggle against Daesh by even one step. This terror organization, the assailants and all of their connections will be found and they will receive the punishments they deserve."[20]

Following the attack, the Turkish government imposed a broadcast ban on news about the bombing.[21] Some police officers blocked journalists from entering the square and asked them to refrain from taking photographs and video because of a nationwide broadcast ban.[citation needed]

International reactions

Supranational

States

  •  Czech Republic: Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the attack, as well as all acts of terrorism in any form. Foreign Ministry expressed its support to the Turkish government and sent condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured fast recovery. Ministry also confirmed there are no affected Czech citizens by the bombing and warns to avoid overcrowded areas.[23]
  •  Germany: German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed "serious concern" about the casualties, saying "a German tourist group had been affected."[9] Germany's foreign ministry has on its website urged German tourists in Istanbul to avoid large crowds and tourist attractions and warned that further violent clashes and "terrorist attacks" were expected across Turkey.[9]
  •  Pakistan: Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press statement condemned the attack.[24] President and Prime Minister say people and Government of Pakistan stand firmly with their Turkish brethren at this hour of grief.[25]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Istanbul tourist district hit by deadly blast".
  2. ^ a b c d "'Several' people killed and injured after explosion in Istanbul". Mail Online. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  3. ^ "Turkish leftist group retracts claim of responsibility for bomb attack". Reuters. 2015-01-09. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
  4. ^ "At least 10 killed as 'suicide bomber' hits Istanbul tourist hub". www.dawn.com. 12 January 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  5. ^ "Explosion in Istanbul Turkey causes casualties in tourist-heavy Sultanahmet district". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  6. ^ "Live Blog: Tracking Islamic State". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  7. ^ a b c Yeginsu, Ceylan (12 January 2016). "Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 10 in Istanbul District of Sultanahmet". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 January 2016. {{cite news}}: no-break space character in |title= at position 15 (help)
  8. ^ a b Peker, Emre; Nissenbaum, Dion; Albayrak, Ayla. "Islamic State Bomber Hits Istanbul Tourist District, Turkey Says". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Explosion in central Istanbul - BBC News". BBC News. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  10. ^ "Deadly Blast Hits Istanbul Square". NBC News. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  11. ^ Press, Associated (12 January 2016). "Reports: several injured in explosion in Istanbul". The Washington Post. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  12. ^ "ISIS-affiliated suicide bomber kills 9 German tourists in Istanbul". www.cbc.ca. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  13. ^ "Sultanahmet'te patlama: Ölü ve yaralılar var! - #Türkiye". Radikal. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  14. ^ "Turkey blast: Ten dead and 15 wounded after 'suicide bomb attack on tourists' in Istanbul - latest". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  15. ^ Weaver, Matthew. "Istanbul blast: 10 dead in suspected suicide bombing are mostly foreigners – live updates". the Guardian. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  16. ^ "Explosion in Istanbul's Sultanahmet Square leaves 10 dead, 15 injured". Daily Sabah. 12 January 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  17. ^ "Explosion at İstanbul's historic square kills 10, media ban imposed". TodaysZaman. 12 January 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  18. ^ Reuters Editorial (12 January 2016). "Ten dead, fifteen wounded in Istanbul blast: governor's office". Reuters. Retrieved 12 January 2016. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  19. ^ Weaver, Matthew. "Istanbul explosion: 10 people killed in tourist area – live updates". the Guardian. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  20. ^ "10 dead, 15 wounded in Istanbul tourist district explosion". Yahoo News. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  21. ^ "At least 10 killed, 15 wounded in suicide bombing near tourists on central Istanbul square - media". RT International. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  22. ^ "Margaritis Schinas on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
  23. ^ "Statement of the MFA on the Suicide Attack in Istanbul". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. Retrieved 12 January 2016. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  24. ^ "Pakistan condemns terrorist attack in Istanbul, expresses solidarity with Turkey". www.mofa.gov.pk. MOFA Pakistan. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  25. ^ "Pakistan strongly condemns Istanbul terror attack". Retrieved 12 January 2016.

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