Istanbul shopping area hit by suicide bomber

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  • From the section Europe

Turkish police push people away after an explosion on the pedestrian Istiklal street in Istanbul, 19 March 2016.Image copyrightAFP
Image captionPolice quickly pushed people away and cordoned off the area

A suicide bomb attack at a busy shopping area in the Turkish city of Istanbul has killed at least four people, officials say.
Up to 20 people were injured, three seriously.
The area - Istiklal Street - is reportedly crowded at weekends.
Last Sunday, an attack in the capital, Ankara, killed 37 people. Kurdish rebel group TAK claimed that attack, saying it was in revenge for Turkish military operations against Kurds.
Last month, a bomb attack on a military convoy in Ankara killed 28 people and wounded dozens more.

Turkish police, forensics and emergency services, work at the blast scene.Image copyrightAFP
Image captionTurkish police, forensics and emergency services, work at the blast scene
Injured being taken awayImage copyrightReuters
Image captionSome people are in a serious condition, officials say

In October 2015, more than 100 people were killed in a double-suicide bombing at a Kurdish peace rally in Ankara.
Both the so-called Islamic State (IS) and Kurdish militants have claims recent attacks in Turkey.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said terror groups are targeting civilians because they are losing their struggle against Turkish security forces.
Turkey is part of the US-led coalition against IS and allows coalition planes to use its air base at Incirlik for raids on Iraq and Syria.
It has also been carrying out a campaign of bombardment against Syrian Kurdish fighters of the People's Protection Units (YPG), which it regards as a extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
A two-year-old ceasefire between Turkey and the PKK broke down last summer.
Since then, more than 340 members of Turkey's security forces have been killed along with at least 300 Kurdish fighters and more than 200 civilians.

Recent attacks in Turkey

  • March 2016: 37 people killed by Kurdish militants in Ankara
  • February 2016: 28 killed at military convoy in Ankara 
  • January 2016: 12 German tourists, are killed in a suspected IS suicide bombing in Istanbul
  • October 2015: More than 100 people are killed in a double-suicide bombing at a Kurdish peace rally in Ankara
The TAK (Kurdistan Freedom Hawks) was formed in 2004. It is regarded as the hard-line offshoot of the PKK, rejecting any attempt at ceasefire talks with the Turkish state.
The PKK has been fighting for autonomy for Turkey's Kurdish minority for decades and has carried out regular attacks on Turkish security forces.
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