Explosion rocks central Istanbul

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. Security forces reportedly evacuated civilians who reside in the nearby block.

Footage circulating online, apparently shot moments after the blast, shows multiple people lying motionless in the street amid debris.

Governor of Istanbul Ali Yerlikaya confirmed on Twitter that the explosion had caused deaths and injuries. He did not provide any exact figures, promising to share further information with the public later.

Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened a terrorist probe into the blast, local media have reported. Separately, the prosecutors have also launched a probe into “provocative posts” on social media in relation to the explosion.

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