ISTANBUL, Turkey— A suicide bomber believed linked to the
Islamic State in Syria set off a powerful blast Tuesday in one of Istanbul’s
most popular tourist districts, killing at least 10 people and injuring 15,
officials said. Most of the victims were Germans.
The attack — in the shadow of the famous Blue Mosque — was a
further sign of the country’s deepening instability in a region wracked by war
and the expanding reach of groups such as the Islamic State, which uses Turkey
as a critical lifeline for recruits, supplies and oil smuggling.
The blast also struck at the heart of Istanbul’s important
tourism trade, reflecting similar tactics used by militants against
internationally known sites in countries including Tunisia and Egypt.
Turkey’s prime minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, described the
bomber as a member of the Islamic State. Another senior official, Deputy Prime
Minister Numan Kurtulmuş, said the attacker was a 28-year-old Syrian.
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