Article last updated at 9.57am
At least 11 people have been killed in a car bomb attack targeting a police bus in central Istanbul.
The explosives were remotely detonated as the vehicle passed through the busy Vezneciler district at the morning rush hour, according to local reports.
Four civilians and seven police officers were among the dead, Istanbul’s governor, Vasip Sahin, said.
Some 36 other people were injured, he added.
The explosion happened near the city’s historic Beyazit Square neighbourhood, a major tourist attraction.
Reports said gunfire was heard in the area after the blast.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office updated its travel advice this morning to confirm that there was an explosion in the Vezneciler area of the Turkish city.
“Vezneciler metro station and roads around the area have been closed. If you are in the area, follow the advice of local security authorities,” the FCO said.