On Sunday, the Turkish city of Istanbul witnessed an explosion on Istiklal Street, near the famous Taksim Square, which resulted in a number of deaths and injuries.
According to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the explosion, which occurred on Istiklal Street crowded with tourists, left six dead and 53 wounded.
The governor of Istanbul, Ali Yerlikaya, wrote on Twitter that the explosion occurred around 4:20 pm (13:20 GMT), while the causes of the explosion were not yet clear.
Video posted online showed flames erupting and a thunderous sound, as bystanders turned and ran away.
Other footage showed ambulances, fire engines and police at the scene, while social media users said shops were closed and the street was closed.
No further details of the incident were immediately available, while Turkey witnessed several bloody bombings between 2015 and 2017.
Information about Istanbul
Istanbul (modern Turkish: İstanbul; Ottoman Turkish: Istanbul), historically known as Byzantium, Constantinople, Astana and Islambul; It is the largest city in Turkey and is seen as the economic, cultural and historical center of the country. The city straddles the Bosphorus, is located in both Europe and Asia, with a population of over 15 million, making up 19% of Turkey's population. Istanbul is the most populous European city, and the fifteenth city in the world. Istanbul is a major city, as the city covers 39 districts that make up Istanbul Governorate. Istanbul encircles the natural harbor known as the Golden Horn (Turkish: Haliç or Altın Boynuz) in the northwest of the country, formerly known as Thrace.
The city was founded in the name of Byzantium in the 7th century BC by Greek settlers from Megara. In 330, the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great made it the capital of the empire, renaming it first New Rome (Nova Rome) and then Constantinople. The city grew in size and influence, eventually becoming a beacon of the Silk Road and one of the most important cities in history.
This city was the capital of a number of countries and empires throughout its long history, as it was the capital of the Roman Empire (330–395), the Byzantine Empire (from 395 until 1204 and from 1261 until 1453), the Latin Empire (1204–1261), and the Ottoman Empire (1453–1922). In most of these stages, the city was surrounded by an aura of holiness, as it had great religious importance to its residents and the residents of neighboring countries. It was an important city for Christians after the Byzantine Empire embraced the Christian religion, before it turned into the capital of the Islamic caliphate from 1517 until the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire in 1924.
In 1923, after the Turkish War of Independence, Ankara replaced the city as the capital of the newly formed Republic of Turkey. In 1930, the city's name was officially changed to Istanbul, which is the Turkish introduction to Greek speakers used since the eleventh century to refer colloquially to the city.
Istanbul was chosen as the Common Capital of European Culture for 2010, and its historical monuments were previously added in 1985 to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. More than 13.4 million foreign visitors came to Istanbul in 2018, eight years after it was named the European Capital of Culture, making it the eighth most visited city in the world.