Istanbul Blast: Explosion on Istanbul's Istiklal Avenue, 4 killed; many injured due to the Blast

An explosion on the popular Istiklal Avenue in Turkey's main city of Istanbul on Sunday evening injured 38 people and killed four. The footage shows ambulances, fire engines and police at the scene. Social media users said that shops were closed and roads were also closed. Anadolu Agency said the cause of the explosion was not yet known. It is being told that after the blast, there is chaos in the crowded area of ​​Istanbul where the blast took place. The police have surrounded the entire area. No organization has yet claimed responsibility for the blast.

Ali Yerlikaya of the Istanbul government tweeted that the explosion happened at around 4:20 pm. Turkey's media watchdog has imposed a temporary media ban on reporting of the blast, meaning broadcasters cannot show videos of the moment or the aftermath of the explosion. The Supreme Board of Radio and Television has imposed similar restrictions in the past, following attacks, accidents and some political issues. Flames and loud explosions can be seen in a video posted online. Other footage showed ambulances, fire trucks and police at the scene.

Social media users said that shops were closed and roads were blocked. Broadcaster CNN Turk said in an initial report that 11 people were injured. The avenue is a congested street that is popular with tourists and locals and is surrounded by shops and restaurants. Turkey was hit by deadly bombings between 2015 and 2017 by the Islamic State group and banned Kurdish groups.