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Precautions taken to ensure tourists' safety: Turkish ministry

Xinhua, January 13, 2016 Adjust font size:

Turkey's Interior Minister, Efkan Ala, said Wednesday that all possible security-related precautions have been taken, following the deadly bomb attack in Istanbul which targeted foreign tourists.

Ala told reporters that tourists are welcomed in Turkey "with no worries," stressing that the government took the necessary measures to ensure their safety.

Ten tourists were killed during the suicide bomber's attack Tuesday in Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet Square, a popular tourist destination, with 17 others injured, including nine Germans, one Peruvian and seven Norwegians.

Ten Germans are confirmed dead, Turkish media reported, quoting an updated statement from Germany's Foreign Ministry.

The attack constitutes a serious blow to Turkey's ailing tourism industry, already troubled by Russia's travel ban imposed following Ankara's shooting of a Russian warplane in November.

Turkish Prime Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, said the attacker belonged to the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, which is also behind several deadly attacks in Turkey.

The bomber was identified as a 28-year-old Syrian Nabil Fadli, who only entered Turkey recently.

Ala confirmed that Fadli's fingerprints were taken a week before for a routine transaction at a Turkish migration office.

Turkey's Dogan news agency said Fadli sought asylum on Jan. 5 in Istanbul.

Police forces are still searching for the other four men who came with him.

Turkish police have so far detained one suspect over the Istanbul attack, Ala said, while press reports said 80 suspected IS militants were detained during operations being carried out throughout Turkey.

Ala also highlighted that 34,000 foreigners from 124 countries are banned from entering Turkey over suspected ties to IS, 380 of whom are German.

Germany's Interior Minister, Thomas de Maiziere, who arrived in Istanbul Wednesday, said there are no signs to imply the attack targeted German citizens.

"Germans intending to visit Turkey may do so freely," he told reporters along with Ala.

The German minister also stressed the importance of a united stance against global terrorism.

Later on the German minister placed a wreath at the scene of the attack, paying tribute to all those who lost their lives in the blast. Endit