Explosion near Istanbul subway station reportedly injures 5

An explosion near a major subway station in Istanbul, Turkey injured at least five people, with some reports suggesting that the blast resulted from a handmade bomb. "The cause of the explosion is not known. We are assessing every possibility," Istanbul Gov. Vasip Sahin said.

Hurriyet newspaper and the Dogan news agency reported that the blast was the result of a bomb; the local mayor of the Bayrampaşa district, where the blast took place, also called the explosion the result of a bomb. An earlier report from Reuters suggested the explosion was caused by a power transformer.

Kurdish rebels have been responsible for several bombings in Istanbul in the past year. The Islamic State has also carried out attacks near the Syrian border as well as in the capital, Ankara.

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