Percussion bomb explosion lightly wounds three in Istanbul

ISTANBUL, Turkey – According to Turkish news reports, a small percussion bomb, left on the side of a road near a bus stop in Istanbul, exploded, lightly wounding three people.

The bomb went off in the busy district of Mecidiyekoy in the European side of the city. The three wounded were hospitalized but were only lightly injured, the report said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

The police established a security cordon around the area as a helicopter hovered above the scene, Dogan said. There was no indication over who could be behind the blast.

The incident comes with Turkey’s largest city on edge after a spate of deadly attacks in the country this year blamed on Kurdish militants and jihadists.

Suicide bombers who the authorities have said were linked to Islamic State (IS) jihadists have twice staged deadly attacks in Istanbul this year targeting foreigners.

There also a stepped-up security presence in the city as it prepares to host Muslim leaders from around the world for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit next week.

Percussion bombs make a loud noise, causing fear and panic but rarely serious damage or injury.