Suicide bomber wounds 22 in Istanbul’s main square

A SUICIDE bomber blew himself up near police watching over Istanbul’s main square yesterday, wounding 22 people, including 10 policemen, officials said.

Istanbul police chief Huseyin Capkin said the bomber tried but failed to get into parked police vans and detonated the bomb just outside one vehicle.

Riot police are stationed at Taksim Square in case of demonstrations.

Ten police officers and 12 passers-by were injured in the attack, Istanbul’s governor Huseyin Avni Mutlu said.

Capkin said at least two of the injured were in serious condition.

There was no immediate responsibility claim for the attack, which occurred as the city was preparing for Republic Day parades that were originally planned for Friday but were delayed due to heavy rain.