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A woman rests near rubble in the Syrian town of Darat Izza in Aleppo Province on February 28.
A woman rests near rubble in the Syrian town of Darat Izza in Aleppo Province on February 28.
Tracking Islamic State

Live Blog: Tracking Islamic State

Follow all of the latest developments as they happen.

Latest News For February 29

-- The United States Army's elite Delta Force is on the verge of beginning operations to target, capture or kill top IS operatives in Iraq, after several weeks of covert preparation, an administration official with direct knowledge of the force's activities told CNN.

-- Syrian government forces have regained control of a road used by the army to access Aleppo, after making advances against Islamic State fighters, a monitoring group and state television reported.


-- Authorities in Iraq say the death toll from a double bombing at a market in Baghdad’s Shi’ite neighborhood of Sadr City rose to 73 on February 29 after several critically wounded victims died overnight.

-- Tajik media are reporting that a woman known to be the second wife of Gulmurod Halimov, the fugitive Tajik colonel who defected to the IS group, has left for Syria along with the couple's four young children.

-- The UN is poised to begin delivering aid to people living in besieged areas of Syria, making use of a truce brokered by the United States and Russia. The first deliveries are planned for Feb. 29, with aid due to reach about 150,000 Syrians in besieged areas over the next five days.

-- A truce negotiated between Syrian rebels and the government has caused a dramatic decrease in airstrikes around rebel-held territory, but there were few celebrations, with many residents suspecting a trick, CNN report.

* NOTE: Live blog posts are time-stamped according to Central European Time (CET).

12:22 12.1.2016

Turkish security authorities believe an "IS-linked suicide bomber" was behind the explosion in Sultanahmet, Hurriyet has reported.

Hurriyet says the authorities are focussing on IS links because tourists and civilians were targeted in a major tourist area.

12:20 12.1.2016

Video footage shows the aftermath of this morning's explosion at Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet district.

Several Dead After Blast Hits Istanbul
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Several Dead After Blast Hits Istanbul
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12:19 12.1.2016

Here is a summary of this morning's events in Istanbul's central Sultanahmet Square:

  • An explosion occurred in Sultanahmet Square at around 10:20 local time this morning.
  • Ten people have been killed and 15 more are reported injured, the Istanbul governor's office says
  • The explosion happened in a major tourist area close to Istanbul's Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia.
  • No one has claimed responsibility for the explosion and there is speculation that it could have been a suicide bombing.
  • Turkey imposed a temporary media ban on reporting from the area.
  • Germans, a Norwegian and a Peruvian are among those injured.
  • Germany's Foreign Ministry has warned Germans to avoid crowded areas near tourist attractions in Istanbul.
  • Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has convened an emergency security meeting of key ministers and officials.

12:13 12.1.2016

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is set to attend a security meeting in Cankaya Palace, the former presidential palace, with Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus, Interior Minister Efkan Ala, Foreign Minister Mevlut Çavuşoglu and officials from National Intelligence Organization (MİT) and the the Security General Directorate (EGM), Today's Zaman reports.

12:06 12.1.2016
Photographs from Istanbul show the aftermath of this morning's explosion in the Sultanahmet district.
Central Istanbul Blast Kills At least 10
Photo Gallery:

Central Istanbul Blast Kills At least 10

Turkish authorities say at least 10 people have been killed in an explosion in the center of Istanbul. The Istanbul governor's office said 15 other people were wounded in the blast, which occurred on January 12 in Sultanahmet district, a major tourist attraction. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan says a person of Syrian origin is thought to have been responsible for the blast. The Sultanahmet neighborhood is Istanbul's main sightseeing area and includes the Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, and the Blue Mosque.

12:04 12.1.2016

Germany has warned its nationals to avoid tourist sites in Istanbul following this morning's blast that killed ten people.

11:38 12.1.2016

11:37 12.1.2016

A TV report has said that a suicide bomber was responsible for the blast this morning in Istanbul, AP are reporting.

11:34 12.1.2016

Two hours after the blast in Turkey's Sultanahmet district, Wall Street Journal reporter Ayla Albayrak says that tourists are still on the streets.

11:33 12.1.2016

Istanbul's Blue Mosque has been completely closed off, says freelance journalist Zia Weise.

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