Kurdish Militants Blamed For Deadly Istanbul Bombing

At least six people have been killed in an explosion in Istanbul, reports Reuters.

On Sunday, an explosive device detonated on a busy pedestrian walkway, killing six and injuring 81.

Six people were in intensive care, two of whom were said to be in critical condition.

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu blamed the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) for the attack. Turkey says that the YPG in northern Syria is linked to the PKK, which has conducted a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish government.

The PKK denied responsibility for the attack, saying it would not target civilians.

Istanbul police arrested 47 people following the blast, including a woman they said planted the bomb.

The suspect, identified as Ahlam Albashir, was arrested in an overnight raid in Istanbul’s Kucukcekmece district.

The Syrian foreign national said she was trained by Kurdish militants and entered Turkey through Afrin in northern Syria, according to police.

A Turkish official said that it was also possible that the Islamic State was behind the bombing.