Sixteen die in Istanbul blasts

Sixteen people have been killed, and 154 injured, in bomb blasts in Istanbul which Turkish authorities claim bears the hallmarks of a Kurdish rebel attack. The explosions took place in the busy residential district of Gungoren. The first, smaller, blast occured in a rubbish bin, and attracted onlookers afterwards, who were then caught by the second, larger blast. The blasts are not thought to have been the result of suicide bombers, but were instead triggered by remote control or with a timer.

The explosions were at first thought to be caused by a gas leak, but Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler later said he was certain they were caused by terrorists. Turkey's president, Abdullah Gul, said the attack highlighted "the ruthlessness of terrorism". And Turkish security services said the attack looked like the work of the rebel Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), possibly in revenge for a series of major operations by the Turkish military on its bases in recent days.

Muammer Guler said: "This is an abhorrent attack. Unfortunately, the fact that the explosion took place in a crowded place increased the number of the casualties. An extensive investigation is being conducted at present at the scene of the incident."