Suicide bomber in tourist hub attack was affiliated with ISIS, Turkey says

(ABC News) — The attacker in an explosion that killed 10 people and injured 15 in Istanbul, Turkey, this morning was affiliated with ISIS, Turkish officials said.

The suicide bomber was a member of the group, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglusaid, pledging to battle ISIS until it no longer “remains a threat” to Turkey or the world.

Davutoglu said all those killed were foreigners. The State Department said it knows of no Americans affected by the attack.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking at a news conference in Berlin, said, “Today Istanbul was hit; Paris has been hit, Tunisia has been hit, Ankara has been hit before. … International terrorism is once again showing its cruel and inhuman face today.”

The blast happened near the iconic blue mosque in Sultanahmet, a historic, tourist district, around 10:20 a.m. local time.

The U.S. Embassy in Turkey tweeted, “Ambassador Bass: Closely following reports of an explosion in #Sultanahmet. Our thoughts are with those affected…”

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.