Seven Detained In Connection With Istanbul Suicide Bombing
Seven people have been detained in connection with a suicide bombing at the heart of Istanbul's historic district that killed 10 German tourists, Turkish Interior Minister Efkan Ala has said.
Turkey has blamed the IS group for the bombing.
Turkish Tour Guide 'Prevented More Casualties' In Istanbul Bombing
Turkish tour guide Sibel Satiroglu prevented additional casualties during the suicide bombing in Istanbul after she witnessed the moment of the attack and shouted at the German tourists she was guiding to run away, Hurriyet reports.
Satiroglu was slightly wounded in her feet and suffered a loss of hearing after the blast, but continued to help at hospitals where the wounded were taken.
IS Attack In Jakarta Its First In Indonesia
IS's attack on Indonesia's capital is the first assault on the Muslim-majority nation by the militant group, Reuters reports.
Five of the seven people killed in the attack were the militants themselves.
France24's Wassim Nasr has shared a screen grab of the declaration by the IS-linked Aamaq news agency that the IS group were behind this morning's attacks in Jakarta.
Jan. 25 Peace Talks 'Unrealistic' Says Syrian Opposition Politician
Syrian opposition politician George Sabra has told Reuters that he thinks January 25 is an "unrealistic date" for peace talks to begin in Geneva unless sieges are lifted and humanitarian aid allowed to reach civilians.
"There are still towns under siege. There are still Russian attacks on villages, schools and hospitals," Sabra said. "There is no sign of goodwill."
Jakarta Militants 'Came From Solo, In Contact With IS In Syria'
Officials in Indonesia have said that the militants responsible for this morning's attacks in Jakarta came from an IS-linked group on Indonesia's main island of Solo and were in touch with militants in Syria.
"We have detected communications between a Syrian group and the Solo group," Deputy Police Chief Budi Gunawan said.
Support for the IS group -- which has claimed responsibility for today's attacks in Jakarta -- has been growing in Indonesia, according to reports.
Imprisoned radical Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, who inspired the Bali bombers, has been accused of actively helping the IS group.
Sidney Jones, director of the Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict, estimated in July that there are more than 300 Indonesians fighting alongside IS in the Middle East.
In July 2014, IS released a recruitment video in Indonesian calling on Indonesian Muslims to join the group.
Some analysts are questioning the claim by the IS-linked Aamaq news agency that IS was responsible for this morning's attacks in Jakarta.
Turkey says it has killed 200 IS militants across its south eastern border in the last 48 hours.
Turkey Hits IS Targets In Syria, Iraq
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said that Turkish land forces fired nearly 500 times on IS targets in Syria and Iraq in response to a January 12 suicide bombing in Istanbul that killed 10 German tourists.
"After the incident on Tuesday … close to 500 artillery and tank shells were fired on [IS] positions in Syria and Iraq," Davutoglu said.
"Close to 200 [IS] members including so-called regional leaders were neutralized in the last 48 hours. After this, every threat directed at Turkey will be punished in kind."