20 injured in car blast near Istanbul football stadium

ISTANBUL (AA) – At least 20 victims were injured late Saturday in a car bomb attack near a football stadium in the Besiktas district of Istanbul.

"Approximately 20 injured in car bomb attack that happened where our riot police officers had been stationed," Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told journalists. "Hopefully, there will be no lost lives."

Injured police officers have been rushed to area hospitals but information about the extent of injuries were not immediately available.

The explosion occurred after a league match between Besiktas and Bursaspor at the Vodafone Arena.

Turkey's Supreme Board of Radio and Television imposed a temporary ban that includes live broadcast from the scene, footage taken from the time of the blast and afterwards, and images of bodies, the agency said in a statement.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has been briefed by Gov. Vasip Sahin and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu about the explosion, according to Prime Ministry sources who cannot be named due to restrictions on talking to media.

Soylu, who was in Ankara at the time of the blast, is now on his way to Istanbul.