At least six dead after blast on popular Istanbul street

An explosion ripped through the centre of Turkey's largest city yesterday, killing at least six people and injuring dozens in a possible bomb attack on one of Istanbul's most high-profile tourist attractions.

- BORZOU DARAGAHI ZOE TIDMAN

Witnesses described a powerful blast followed by panic on Istanbul's pedestrian-only Istiklal Avenue, a mile-long stretch of shops, cultural attractions and diplomatic outposts, including the consulates of France and Russia.

"When I heard the explosion, I was petrified, people froze, looking at each other. Then people started running away. What else can you do," said 45-year-old Mehmet Akus, who works in a restaurant on Istiklal. "My relatives called me. They know I work on Istiklal."

Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking to reporters in Ankara before boarding the plane to head to Indonesia for the G20 summit, described the explosion as a likely terrorist attack.

"It might be wrong to say for sure that this is terrorism, but there is the scent of terror here," he said. "The relevant units of our state continue their efforts to uncover the perpetrators of this heinous attack and those who orchestrated it."

Panic erupted as the explosion sent fire and debris flying. "At first we thought a building had collapsed," said a resident who lives 200 yards from the blast site. "Then we saw the people running down our street."