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Terror attack in Istanbul not specifically directed against German citizens: official

Xinhua, January 13, 2016 Adjust font size:

There were no indications that the terror attack in Istanbul had been directed specifically against German citizens, said German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere after his arrival in Istanbul, German local media Tagesschau reported.

According to a spokeswoman, a 33-member German tourist group had been directly affected by the attack, however no evidence showed that it was a targeted attack on this group.

Ten Germans were killed in the bomb attack in Istanbul on Tuesday, Germany's Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday.

Seven German injured in the attack were brought to hospitals, of whom five were being treated in an intensive care unit, while three slightly wounded victims would be released today.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned on Tuesday the alleged terrorist attack in Istanbul that killed more than 10 people, including German citizens.

According to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the explosion that rocked Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet district was carried out by a suicide bomber of Syrian origin. Endit