30 Injured in Istanbul blast

Up to 30 people, mainly police officers, have been injured in a suspected suicide bomb attack in Istanbul.

The attack took place in Taksim Square at around 4pm this afternoon. The attacker attempted to gain entry into a parked police vehicle but was unable to. He then blew himself up just beside the vehicle. The square usually has a heavy police presence as it is a popular location for protests and demonstrations.

The attack occurred as a unilateral ceasefire, which was declared by the Kurdish PKK rebel group earlier in the year, came to an end.

The Turkish government has been holding talks with rebel leaders in an attempt to end the conflict. But the trial of 150 Kurdish people, including over a dozen elected mayors, on charges of involvement in rebel activities has been a major sticking point.

The PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) are fighting for an independent Kurdish state in southern Turkey. The PKK control most of Northern Iraq where they are the officially recognised local government, they are also active in Iran. With a population of around 25 million people, the Kurdish are considered one of the worlds  largest people's without an internationally recognized homeland.