A series of explosions has rocked Istanbul, Turkey Thursday. There are early reports of at least three people killed. The blasts have reportedly torn through the British Consulate, the local branch of the Chinese-owned HSBC Bank, and a shopping mall.
The Foreign Office in London said it is urgently trying to determine the extent of damages and any casualties.
Television footage broadcast from Istanbul showed several people wounded, some of them women, and medical crews were giving first aid. There were also scenes of badly damaged buildings and burned-out vehicles.
The explosions followed last Saturday's suicide attacks on two Jewish synagogues in Istanbul. The al-Qaida terrorist network claimed responsibility, but Turkey continues to investigate the case.