Explosion rocks central Istanbul – reports

The blast occurred on the main pedestrian street in Türkiye’s largest city, multiple casualties have been reported

An explosion occurred on Istanbul’s iconic Istiklal Avenue, a busy pedestrian street in the historic heart of the city, on Sunday. Multiple people were injured in the blast, according to local media reports.

The incident prompted a heavy security response, with police cordoning off the area and multiple ambulances have been reported at the scene. 

Footage circulating online, apparently shot moments after the blast, shows multiple people lying motionless in the street amid debris, suggesting the explosion may have caused fatalities as well. So far, no official information on potential casualties has been made public.

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