British travellers heading to Turkey have been issued a warning following a deadly explosion this weekend.
At least six people were killed and more than 81 injured in what is being treated as a terror attack after a huge blast hit Istanbul’s busiest shopping street on Sunday.
Harrowing footage shows bodies strewn in the street following the explosion tore through a popular shopping district of Istiklal Avenue.
The UK Foreign Office has since updated its travel advice for Turkey, in a bid to warn Brits about the potential dangers of travelling to the country.
Its updated advice reads: "On November 13 there was an explosion in Istiklal Avenue shopping street in central Istanbul. The area is now cordoned off, further areas may face temporary closures and travel within the city may be affected.
"The British Embassy is in contact with local authorities and urgently seeking further information following reports of an incident in Istanbul.
"You should remain vigilant, minimise travel around this area, and follow the advice of the local security authorities and/or your tour operator."
The Foreign Office said it will provide updates as the situation develops.
UK tourists are not currently advised against travelling to Turkey.
Turkish police said they have detained a Syrian woman with suspected links to Kurdish militants and that she confessed to planting a bomb.
Kurdish militants strongly denied any links to the bombing.
"A little while ago, the person who left the bomb was detained by our Istanbul Police Department teams," Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu announced early Monday.
The Istanbul Police Department said videos from around 1,200 security cameras were reviewed and raids were carried out at 21 locations.
At least 46 other people were also detained for questioning.
The suspected allegedly departed the scene in a taxi after leaving TNT-type explosives on the crowded avenue, police said.
Istanbul Govenor Ali Yerlikaya said of the 81 people hospitalized in the attack, 57 have been discharged.
Six of the wounded were in intensive care and two of them were in life-threatening condition, he said.
The six killed in the blast were members of three families and included children ages 9 and 15.
Funerals were held Monday for the six victims, including Adem Topkara and his wife Elif Topkara, who had left their two young children with their aunt and were taking a stroll down Istiklal at the time of the blast.
