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‘Several' Irish citizens injured in Istanbul suicide bomb attack

Emergency services at the scene of an explosion, on a street, in Istanbul, Turkey. Picture by Emrah Gurel, Associated Press
Emergency services at the scene of an explosion, on a street, in Istanbul, Turkey. Picture by Emrah Gurel, Associated Press Emergency services at the scene of an explosion, on a street, in Istanbul, Turkey. Picture by Emrah Gurel, Associated Press

"A NUMBER" of Irish citizens have been injured in a bomb attack in Turkey which killed four people and left dozens injured, the Irish government has confirmed.

A suicide attacker detonated a bomb on Istanbul's main pedestrian shopping street on Saturday morning.

Istanbul governor Vasip Sahin said the explosion happened outside a local government office near cafes, restaurants and foreign consulates.

The Turkish government said 36 people were wounded, including two Irish citizens.

Irish minister for trade and foreign affairs Charlie Flanagan expressed his "horror and sadness" at the bombing, saying: "I am deeply saddened by today's horrific bomb attack in central Istanbul.

"I have spoken to ambassador Brendan Ward in Turkey and can confirm that we are aware of a number of Irish citizens among the injured. An embassy official is on the ground in Istanbul to provide consular assistance."

Meanwhile, the suicide bomber who killed himself and four foreign tourists in Istanbul has been identified as a militant with links to the Islamic State group.

Turkey's interior minister Efkan Ala said the bomber was Turkish citizen Mehmet Ozturk, who was born in 1992 in Gaziantep province, which borders Syria.

He said Ozturk had no previous criminal record and five other people were detained as part of the investigation.

Saturday's explosion killed five people, including Ozturk, and wounded dozens of others.

Among the fatalities were two American-Israelis, another Israeli and an Iranian.

The attack targeted Istanbul's pedestrian Istiklal Street, which is linked with shops and cafes in an area that also has government offices and foreign missions.

"The identity of the terrorist who carried out this reprehensible attack has been determined," said Mr Ala.

"The findings obtained show that the terrorist is linked to the Daesh terror organization," the minister said, using an alternative expression for IS.

Turkey has endured six suicide bombing attacks in less than a year.

The country faces a wide array of security threats including from ultra-left radicals, Kurdish rebels demanding greater autonomy who are locked in battle with security forces in the south east, and the Islamic State group.

Turkey is also a partner in the US-led coalition against IS and its airbases are being used to launch bombing runs against the group in neighbouring Syria.

Two of the attacks this year hit the Turkish capital, Ankara.

An off-shoot of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Union claimed the February 17 car bombing that killed 29 people and the March 13 suicide bombing that killed 37 people.

On January 12, an attack that Turkish authorities blamed on IS claimed the lives of a dozen German tourists visiting Istanbul's historic sites. That attack delivered a bitter blow to the country's vital tourism sector.

Mr Ala said Turkey was determined to press ahead with its fight against terror groups but admitted it was difficult to prevent suicide attacks.

"We are working so that they do not happen," the minister said.

Well-wishers placed carnations and candles at the scene of the attack, with one placard reading "We are on the streets, we are not afraid of you."

Earlier, Israeli authorities raised the number of Israelis killed in the bombing to three, among them two who also hold US citizenship.

The third victim was identified as Avraham Goldman (69) from Herzliya. The two others are Simha Damari (60), from Dimona, and Yonata Shor (40), from Tel Aviv.

It was not immediately clear if the Israelis were specifically targeted. The Israelis' bodies and other Israelis wounded in the blast were being evacuated while a senior Israeli foreign ministry official to arrive in Istanbul for meetings with Turkish officials.

The attack came as Turkey heightened security across the country in the run-up to the Kurdish spring festival of Newroz on March 21. This is used traditionally by Kurds in Turkey to assert their ethnic identity and demand greater rights.

Mr Ala said 120,000 police and 80,000 military police were on duty during the Newroz period and more than 1,000 police checkpoints had been set up.

:: Anyone concerned about an Irish citizen is urged to call 01 408 2000 or the embassy in the Turkish capital Ankara on 0090 312 459 1000.