Police in Turkey have reported that they have increased the number of detainees to 48 people in connection with the bomb attack in Istanbul on Sunday that killed six people and injured 81.
Officers have arrested 48 suspects, of whom 37 are foreign nationals, mostly Syrians, TRT Haber TV channel has reported.
Authorities have also seized nearly $4,000, 5,000 euros and 10,000 lira, as well as jewelry from the home where the main suspect in the bomb attack, who was arrested late Sunday night, was staying.
Teams from the Istanbul Police Department early Monday morning arrested the woman suspected of carrying out the terrorist attack, as well as 21 other people.
Interior Minister Suleiman Soylu said Turkish authorities have determined that «the order for the deadly terrorist attack came from Ain al Arab in northern Syria, where the People’s Protection Units (YPG) are based,» a reference to a prominent Kurdish-Syrian militia with ties to the PKK.
Turkish Presidency spokesman Fahrettin Altun said Monday that the attacks «are a direct and indirect consequence of some countries’ support for terrorist groups,» in the context of support for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the alleged backing of Sweden and Finland for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
«The international community must pay attention. Terrorist attacks against our civilians are a direct and indirect consequence of some countries’ support for terrorist groups,» Altun said.
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) on Monday disassociated itself from the bombing, following accusations made by the Turkish government against the group, considered by Ankara as a terrorist organization.
«First of all, we offer our condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to the injured. We have nothing to do with this incident and it is well known to the public that we do not directly target civilians nor do we condone actions directed against civilians,» the People’s Defense Center Headquarters Command (HSM) said through a statement.
Istanbul has been hit by several blasts in the past, including a suicide bombing in Istiklal in 2016 by a suspected member of the Islamic State jihadist group that claimed the lives of five people.
In the same year, the PKK, considered by Turkey to be a terrorist organization, claimed responsibility for a bombing that killed 38 people outside a soccer stadium in the Besiktas area of central Istanbul.
