Overnight reports are suggesting as many as 38 people have lost their lives in the blasts that rocked Istanbul last night.
The explosions outside the Besiktas Vodafone Arena were heard on the Turkish champions’ own broadcast, and early reports indicated there were at least 20 injuries.
However, in the hours since, it has emerged that things were considerably worse than first feared, with the BBC and Al Jazeera reporting 38 deaths, plus many more who suffered injuries in the blasts.
Al Jazeera reports that Turkey has declared a day of morning following the incident, while further footage has emerged from the moment the incident took place.
Vodafone Arena'daki #Patlama 'nın şiddetinin amatör bir kameraya yansıması 13.saniyeye dikkat! #Istanbul #TeröreLanetOlsun pic.twitter.com/zTkG5w0RlF
— MtnOzd (@MtnOzd) December 10, 2016
At the time of writing, no group is believed to have claimed responsibility for the attack, which is thought to have killed at least 30 police officers as well as a number of civilians.
However Besiktas’ English-language Twitter account has shared messages of solidarity, asserting that ‘terrorism will never destroy the spirit, courage and resilience of our people’.
Terrorism will never destroy the spirit, courage and resilience of our people.#Beşiktaş JK pic.twitter.com/yL44GfsncF
— Beşiktaş EN (@BesiktasEnglish) December 10, 2016
Most sincere condolences to our nation!#Beşiktaş JK pic.twitter.com/6ESJcv60rX
— Beşiktaş EN (@BesiktasEnglish) December 11, 2016
The explosions are understood to have taken place shortly after Besiktas’ 2-1 victory over Bursaspor in the Turkish Super Lig, with the BBC reporting that a car bomb and a suicide bomber were involved in a dual attack.
Galatasaray and Gaziantepspor are due to play elsewhere in Istanbul later today and, at the time of writing, the game is still understood to be going ahead as planned.
