Turkish officials have reported that an explosion in a crowded area of central Istanbul resulted in at least six fatalities and 81 injuries. The explosion occurred on a retail streetnear Taksim Square at around 16:20 localtime (13:20 GMT), according to Ali Yerlikaya,the governor of the Turkish city. According to vice president Fuat Oktay, the explosion was likely the result of a female terrorist act. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the perpetrators would be punished. Cemal Denizci,an eyewitness,was approximately 50 meters (54 yards) away









