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Erdogan: Istanbul Terror Attack Plotters Aimed for Maximum Number of Casualties

© AFP 2023 / ADEM ALTANTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech during the Living Human Treasures award ceremony at the Bestepe National Congress and Culture Centre in Ankara on November 3, 2016
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech during the Living Human Treasures award ceremony at the Bestepe National Congress and Culture Centre in Ankara on November 3, 2016 - Sputnik International
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After two blasts rocked Istanbul on Saturday night, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a statement, claiming the incident was a terrorist attack aimed to kill a maximum number of people.

ANKARA (Sputnik) — The organizers of explosions in the center of Istanbul, in which up to 70 people were affected, aimed for a maximum number of victims, Erdogan said Sunday.

“Tonight we have become witnesses of heinous face of terror. It is clear that the aim of the terrorist attack, which had occurred right after the Besiktas – Bursaspor match, was the maximum number of casualties. Unfortunately, it resulted in deaths and injuries,” Erdogan said in a statement.

Police officers and ambulances fill the street next to the Besiktas football club stadium, in Istanbul, late Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. Two loud explosions have been heard near the newly built soccer stadium and witnesses at the scene said gunfire could be heard in what appeared to have been an armed attack on police.Turkish authorities have banned distribution of images relating to the Istanbul explosions within Turkey. - Sputnik International
At Least 15 Killed, Dozens Injured As Explosions Rock Istanbul (PHOTOS)
According to the local NTV television channel, the number of victims has reached 70.

Earlier in the day, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said that the blasts took place late on Saturday at 22:30 local time [7:30 pm GMT] in the central Besiktas district of the city.  They occurred near the Vodafone Arena over an hour after a football match concluded at the stadium.

According to the minister, one of the blasts was allegedly carried out by a suicide bomber.

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