Four suspects detained for deadly Istanbul blast

Four people have been detained in connection with a deadly car bomb attack in the Turkish city of Istanbul that claimed the lives of 11 people and injured 36 others.

According to police investigators on Tuesday, the rental car, used in the attack, was triggered via remote control, and iron fragments were packed around the explosives to cause maximum damage. Seven police men and four civilians died when the car blew up next to a police bus in the city’s Beyazit district.

During a visit to the wounded in the blast at a local hospital, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed that the responsible parties would not be forgiven.

"Let me be clear, terrorist organizations distinguishing between civilians, soldiers and police does not mean anything to us. The end target is always human beings," Erdogan said.

"The mission of our soldiers, our police and our city guards is to protect our lives and our property. It is unacceptable that these people are targeted. We will continue our fight against terrorism fearlessly," he added.

Turkey’s newly appointed Prime Minister Binali Yildirim also condemned the attackers for killing civilians in the holy month of Ramadan. He said the terrorists have "once again shown that they are the enemy of human values."

The incident has also been condemned by many countries and organizations, including Iran, the UN, US, France, and Germany.

While offering his condolences to the Turkish government, nation and the families of the victims, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari stressed the importance of a firm and broad campaign by the international community against terrorism and extremism.         

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon released a statement labeling the incident as a “despicable terrorist attack,” and extending "his sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wishes those injured a speedy recovery.” 

The US State Department also slammed the blast and offered condolences.

"The US reaffirms our strong commitment to work with Turkey, a NATO ally and a valuable member of the counter-Daesh coalition, to combat the shared threat of terrorism," said spokesman Mark Toner.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Kurdish militants, Daesh terrorists, and radical leftists have all staged similar attacks in Turkey recently.

Turkey has suffered a spate of bombings this year, including two attacks in tourist areas of Istanbul blamed on Daesh and two car bombings in the capital, Ankara, which were claimed by a Kurdish militant group.

The attacks have come as Turkey is battling PKK militants, who have killed hundreds of members of the security forces in the southeast.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk