Day after at least 6 killed in explosion on Istanbul's pedestrian avenue suspected arrested

According to the state-run Anadolu agency's English-language Twitter account, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Monday that police had detained the person who left the bomb that exploded in Istanbul.

Istiklal Avenue in central Istanbul was shaken by an explosion on Sunday that left six people dead and 81 others injured. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan described the incident as a bomb attack that "smells like terrorism."

Explosion left 6 dead

An explosion on Istanbul's popular pedestrian Istiklal Avenue on Sunday has left at least 6 people dead and injured several others, a senior official said.

Istanbul Gov. Ali Yerlikaya tweeted that the explosion occurred at about 4:20 pm (1320 GMT) and that there were deaths and injuries, but he did not say how many. The cause of the explosion was not clear.

A video posted online showed flames erupting and a loud bang, as pedestrians turned and ran away.

Other footage showed ambulances, fire trucks and police at the scene. Social media users said shops were shuttered and the avenue closed down.

The avenue is a crowded thoroughfare popular with tourists and locals, lined by shops and restaurants. The explosion Turkey was hit by a string of deadly bombings between 2015 and 2017 by the Islamic State group and outlawed Kurdish groups.