Israelis, 1 Iranian killed in Istanbul attack

Australians in Turkey have been urged to exercise heightened caution following a suicide bombing on a main shopping street in Istanbul that killed five people.

An suicide bombing attack rocked Istanbul’s bustling Istiklal Street on Saturday, causing at least five deaths and 36 injuries. The country’s foreign ministry has confirmed that some of its citizens were hurt. Her husband was wounded in the attack, according to reports.

Two U.S. citizens were killed, U.S. National Security Council spokesman Ned Price told CNN.

In a Tweet, UNDP Turkey said its staff shared the pain of those who had lost relatives, and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

“Turkey has once again suffered a horrific terrorist attack, and we remain steadfast in our support for our NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) ally and partner”, Price said, adding that terrorism “must come to an end” in Turkey.

An explosion has torn through the centre of Turkey’s largest city Istanbul. “The attacker detonated the bomb before reaching the targeted point because they were scared of the police”, the official said, declining to be named because the investigation is ongoing.

“We are trying to clarify with intelligence, and we have no confirmation for this now, that this terror attack was directed against Israelis”, Netanyahu said.

A man lights a candle at the site of a blast on Istiklal Street, a major shopping and tourist district, in central Istanbul on March 19, 2016.

Names of the American victims were not immediately released.

Iran state media news agency IRNA reported that an Iranian was killed.

He said a third Israeli may have died.

It advises New Zealanders take caution in the country and says there is a significant threat from terrorism.

When asked if he was in contact with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the prime minister said he was not. They are expected to be discharged soon and are due to leave Istanbul tonight on an eight o’clock flight.

The post Suicide bomber kills four, wounds dozens in strike on Istanbul appeared first on PBS NewsHour.

The US embassy in Turkey expressed sadness and shock over the attack on its Twitter account.

Thirty-six people were injured in the blast, Turkish Health Minister Mehmet Muezzinoglu told reporters.

Turkish officials believe the bomber was either from Islamic State (ISIS) or the Kurdish People’s Defence Force (PKK).

Another attack in the city in February killed 29 people.

Seven people are said to be seriously injured. Channel One said that it was very likely that the lightly injured Israelis would be returned to Israel Sunday morning.