Daesh terrorist behind Istanbul bombing: Minister

The attacker behind Saturday's bombing in the Turkish city of Istanbul has been identified as an affiliate of the Daesh Takfiri group, Interior Minister Efkan Ala says.

The assailant, identified by Ala as 24-year-old Mehmet Ozturk, detonated an explosive device on the crowded Istiklal shopping street, killing at least five people.

“It has been established that he is a member of Daesh," Ala said in a media briefing on Sunday, adding that five arrests have so far been made in connection with the blast.

Born in the southern Turkish city of Gaziantep, Ozturk had had no criminal record and was identified by his DNA, Ala noted.

He further said that Ankara is re-evaluating every security measure in “every dimension,” and will step up cooperation with other countries in order to curb terrorism.

Turkey is itself suspected of actively training and arming Takfiri militants and buying smuggled oil from Daesh, which is wreaking havoc in Iraq and Syria.

MG