Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Suspected car bombing in Istanbul injures at least eight people, reports say

The attack targeted military vehicles

Will Worley
Thursday 12 May 2016 16:57 BST
Comments
Security officers gather at the scene following a vehicle explosion near a military facility in Istanbul
Security officers gather at the scene following a vehicle explosion near a military facility in Istanbul (Reuters via Dogan)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Several people have been wounded in a blast near a vehicle carrying military personnel in Istanbul, Turkey.

A car exploded close to a military installation in the Sancaktepe district.

Five military personnel and three civilians were injured in the explosion, one seriously, said the governor of Istanbul, Vasip Sahin.

The Mayor of Sancaktepe, Ismail Erdem, said many of those injured were hit by broken glass.

Security analyst Michael Horowitz posted a tweet appearing the aftermath of the attack:

There have been a number of bombings in Turkey, a Nato-member state, over the last few months and both Isis and Kurdish militant groups have claimed responsibility for different attacks.

The explosion comes just two days after Kurdish rebels detonated a car bomb close to a police vehicle in the mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir, killing three people and wounding dozens of others.

The rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, have been targeting police and military targets since July, when a fragile peace process collapsed.

The group is fighting for autonomy for Turkey's Kurds in the southeast of the country. It has waged a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state in a conflict that has claimed 40,000 lives.

The group is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey and its allies.

PKK-linked rebels have staged multiple bomb attacks against Turkish police and troops, which in turn have carried out tank-backed security operations in flashpoint areas.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in