Turkish minister urges foreign tourists not to leave country

The Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mahir Unal, urged foreign tourists not to leave the country, the Turkish Haber newspaper reported Jan.13.

Unal made the remarks in connection with the recent terrorist attack in Istanbul, which killed ten foreigners.

On Jan.12, an explosion hit Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul. It was reported that a suicide bomber blew himself up near the central mosque when tourists were passing by. Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, called the blast a terrorist attack carried out by a Syrian citizen, who was affiliated with the Islamic State.

Following the attack, some Turkish media outlets reported that foreign tourists, fearing for their safety, began to leave Turkey.

The Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism said that Istanbul is a safe city for local and foreign tourists.

He also noted that the terrorist attacks are carried out not only in Istanbul but also in other major cities around the world. (Trend.az)