Explosion, fire at Istanbul suburb police station injures 7 (PHOTOS)

Five officers and two civilians have reportedly been injured following a “bomb attack" which targeted a police station in Istanbul's suburb of Sultanbeyli. The explosion also reportedly damaged neighboring buildings and cars parked nearby.

The explosion on Sunday night caused a fire at the police station, located in the Sultanbeyli neighborhood of Istanbul, injuring at least seven people, Anadolu Agency reported.

Part of the three-story building collapsed and nearby structures were also damaged, as well as up to 20 vehicles nearby, Dogan news reported.

Police cordoned off the area as people begun to gather around the site. As emergency services worked at the explosion site, anti-PKK slogans were heard from the crowd.

No one has so far claimed responsibility for the blast, but the attack comes amid rising tensions between Turkish authorities and supporters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Turkey has been carrying out attacks against PPK rebels ever since it made a sudden U-turn in policy against ISIS and allowed Washington to use its air bases to conduct airstrikes against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).

Earlier on Sunday, the US Mission to NATO confirmed that Washington is to deploy six F-16 Fighting Falcon jets to Turkey. Around 300 airmen from the 31st Fighter Wing are also reportedly being sent to Turkey, to help support Operation Inherent Resolve.

Source: rt.com