Turkey Explosion: Emergency Cell for Moroccans

Morocco’s foreign affairs ministry set up an emergency cell for Moroccans in Istanbul amid today’s explosion on Istiklal Avenue in the Taksim area of Istanbul, Turkey.

Three phone numbers in Morocco can be used to contact the ministerial emergency cell: 05 37 67 63 50, 05 37 67 63 53, and 05 37 67 62 51. The following Turkish phone number might help Moroccans in Turkey: 00905352067735.

على إثر حادث الانفجار الذي شهده اليوم شارع الاستقلال بمنطقة تقسيم بمدينة إسطنبول التركية، فإن وزارة الشؤون الخارجية والتعاون الإفريقي والمغاربة المقيمين بالخارج، وبتنسيق مع القنصلية العامة للمملكة المغربية بإسطنبول، تتابع عن كثب أوضاع المواطنين المغاربة المتواجدين هناك. pic.twitter.com/AmznCJM8kJ

— الدبلوماسية المغربية 🇲🇦 (@MarocDiplo_AR) November 13, 2022

The foreign affairs ministry urged Moroccan residents in Turkey to be on the lookout and heed Turkish authorities’ orders in a Tweet. The Istiklal Boulevard in Istanbul was struck by an explosion on Sunday night. Six people died and more than 50 were wounded because of the blast.

The reason of the explosion is still unknown as of publication. Many believe it was a suicide bombing, nevertheless.

Following the explosion, Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya tweeted that “police, medical, fire, and AFAD [Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency] units were deployed to the scene.”

Following the event, Turkish authorities declared the start of an inquiry and forbade the dissemination of footage of the explosion by the national media.

The area of the city where the explosion occurred is popular with both residents and visitors.

Videos taken by witnesses show areas of the roadway engulfed in flames and being shaken by huge explosions as people left the scene. Following the explosion, the avenue was blocked off because it was overrun by police, firefighters, and medical rescue crews.

From 2015 to 2017, Turkey had a string of bombing strikes.