Taksim explosion could be a suspected act of terrorism, Türkiye will not surrender to terrorism: Erdoğan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Sunday that based on initial information from the governor, the explosion in Taksim, Istanbul could be a suspected act of terrorism.

Efforts to take over Türkiye and the Turkish nation through terrorism will not yield results, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan added, condemning the "vile attack".

"The relevant units of our state are working to find the perpetrators... behind this vile attack," Erdoğan told a televised press conference.

"It might be wrong if we say for sure that this is terror but according to first signs... there is a smell of terror there," Erdoğan said.

Vice President Fuat Oktay said that 6 people were dead after the explosion, while there were 81 injured, two of which were in critical condition.

The explosion occurred at around 4:20 pm (1320 GMT) in the famous Istiklal shopping street which is popular with locals and tourists.

On the EU's statement regarding the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus being given the observer member status in the Organization of Turkic States, Erdogan said: "What the European Union says, how the European Union looks at it, none of this concerns us."

"How we look at it is important," he added.

Regarding the forthcoming G20 meeting, the president said "food and energy security are two main items" on the agenda.

Economic impact of coronavirus and the Russia-Ukraine war will also be a part of discussions, he said, and added that global inflation waves shook all economies deeply, and there are concerns of recession.