ISTANBUL: Turkish police on Monday said they had arrested a Syrian woman for planting a bomb that killed six people in central Istanbul, adding that she was working for Kurdish militants.

The woman is “of Syrian nationality,” the private NTV television quoted the police as saying. She reportedly admitted to have received an order from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) listed as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday condemned the “vile attack” that ripped through central Istanbul, and which he said killed six people and wounded dozens of others.

“The relevant units of our state are working to find the perpetrators… behind this vile attack,” Erdogan told a televised press conference.

He also said initial signs pointed to a “terror” attack in the explosion in Istanbul which wounded 53 others.

“It might be wrong if we say for sure that this is terror but according to first signs… there is a smell of terror there,” Erdogan said.

“The attempt to take over Turkey and the Turkish nation through terrorism will not reach its goal today or tomorrow,” he added.

The explosion occurred at around 4:20 pm (1320 GMT) in the famous Istiklal shopping street which is popular with locals and tourists.

State broadcaster TRT and other media showed videos of ambulances and police headed to the scene on Istanbul’s Istiklal Street.

The street was thronged with shoppers when the explosion tore through the centre of the Turkish city.

Video shared on social media at the time of the explosion indicated it could be heard from far away and that there were also flames. The footage also shows crowds fleeing from the busy square following a loud blast.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari have expressed the deepest condolences to the brotherly people of Turkiye at the loss of precious human lives due to explosion at popular Istiklal Avenue in the heart of Istanbul.

“Govt and people of Pakistan express deepest condolences to the brotherly people of Turkiye,” the premier said in a tweet and prayed for the recovery of the injured.

In his tweet, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said he is deeply saddened at precious loss of life in explosion at the iconic Taksim square in Istanbul.

“We stand in complete solidarity with our Turkish brethren in this hour of grief,” the foreign minister said in his tweet.