Istanbul bombing: Possible suicide attack in tourist area

A number of people have been killed in an explosion in a district of Istanbul popular with tourists.

The explosion occurred just after 10am local time (08am GMT) in the city’s historic Sultanahmet district, close to the Blue Mosque.

Ambulances rushed to the scene and police have sealed off the area.

Some local reports suggest the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber.

In recent months there have been sporadic attacks by a far left group in Istanbul, while violence has soared between Turkish forces and PKK Kurdish militants, mainly in southeast Turkey, after a ceasefire broke down.

Turkey has also been hit by bomb attacks blamed by prosecutors on the so-called Islamic State group.

Two suicide blasts in the capital Ankara in October killed more than 100 people and more than 30 people were killed in an attack near the border with Syria in July.