Suspect arrested in Istanbul bombing that killed at least six

Turkey’s interior ministry confirmed that a suspect has been arrested in relation to the recent bombing in Istanbul which killed 6 people and injured 61 more.

According to state news agency Anadolu, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay has declared the incident to be a terrorist attack.

“We consider it to be a terrorist act as a result of an attacker, whom we consider to be a woman, detonating the bomb,” Oktay said at a Sunday press conference.

Turkish officials believe Kurdish separatists from the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) along with the Democratic Union Party (PYD) were likely responsible for the suspected bomb attack, the country’s interior minister, Suleyman Soylu, said in a statement.

“It is PKK/PYD terrorist organization according to our preliminary findings,” Soylu said.

“A little while ago the person who left the bomb (was) taken under custody by teams of Istanbul Police Department. Before their arrest 21 more people were also taken under custody,” he added. “The face of terrorism is bitter, but we will continue this struggle to the end, whatever the cost is.”

Prior to the bombing, CCTV footage shows a woman sitting on a bench for nearly 45 minutes. The woman left the bench and then 2 minutes later, the bomb went off, according to Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, who believes the woman is being investigated by Turkish security officials.

“There are two possibilities. Either that bag or plastic bag has a mechanism in it, it explodes on its own or someone detonates it from afar. All of these are currently under investigation,” Bozdag said. “The name of the woman is unknown. All the recordings and data about the woman are being analyzed.”

The explosion occurred on on Istiklal Street in Beyoglu Square, which is in the heart of Istanbul.

“We wish God’s mercy on those who lost their lives and a speedy recovery to the injured,” Yerlikaya tweeted.