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Istanbul bomb blast injures 10

March 1, 2012

A bomb rocked Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, on Thursday morning, injuring 10 police officers, some of whom required hospitalization.

https://p.dw.com/p/14CIu
Forensic police cover a damaged police vehicle after a bomb blast
Image: dapd

Turkey's state news agency, Anatolia, reported that the attack was targeting a police bus outside the headquarters of the country's Islamist business association, MUSIAD, and near to the regional office of the governing Justice and Development Party (AKP).

"It appears to be a remote-controlled bomb that went off as a duty vehicle carrying 21 policemen drove by," Istanbul police chief Huseyin Capkin was quoted as saying by the agency.

Witnesses in nearby vehicles reported a strong blast that rocked their cars, causing panic and some damage to the road itself.

Istanbulhas witnessed several similar bomb blasts in recent years. Kurdish, Islamist and leftist groups have previously claimed responsibility.

Last September a powerful bomb rocked the centre of the capital Ankara, killing three people and wounding at least 15.

dfm/acb (AFP, dpa)