At least 10 tourists have been killed and 15 others injured in a suicide bombing at a major attraction in Istanbul, Turkey.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu confirmed the explosion this morning, saying officials have determined that all those killed in Sultanahmet square were foreigners – nine coming from Germany.
The PM identified the bomber as Nabeel Fadel, a Saudi-born man who was not listed on Turkey’s security watch list, Al Jazeera reported.
Turkey’s leaders have contacted Germany’s Chancellor, Angela Merkel, to offer their condolences and vowed to hunt down and punish those linked to the man, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
“Until we wipe out Daesh, Turkey will continue its fight at home and with coalition forces.”
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
President Tayyip Erdogan added that the incident showed that the country should continue to act “as one heart, one body to fight against terror”.
Turkey’s tourism sector reeling after suicide bomber targets heart of Istanbul https://t.co/f9rnqdmvA2 pic.twitter.com/fcs2Hh28ow
— Huffington Post (@HuffingtonPost) January 12, 2016
“Turkey’s determined and principled stance in the fight against terrorism will continue to the end,” President Tayyip Erdogan said.
Despite the bombing, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) hasn’t increased its advice for Turkey and continues to advise Australians to ‘exercise a high degree to caution’.
“You should exercise heightened vigilance in public places in Turkey at this time.”
DFAT
“The overall level of advice has not changed. We continue to advise Australians to exercise a high degree of caution in Turkey.”
Investigations into the attack continue.
