Turkish police say car bombs have exploded outside two synagogues in Istanbul, killing at least 23 people and wounding at least 80 others.
One explosion occurred early today (Saturday) near the Neve Shalom synagogue in the center of Turkey's largest city. A second blast took place at the same time or a short time later outside the Beth Israel synagogue in the affluent neighborhood of Sisli.
Turkey's semi-official Anatolia news agency says a militant Turkish Islamist group has claimed responsibily for the attacks.
Local television showed medical teams carrying bloodied victims away on stretchers, some with faces blackened by the explosions. Pictures showed a huge crater in front of one partially collapsed synagogue, the twisted wreckage of a car, and streets filled with shattered glass from windows of nearby buildings.
Neve Shalom -- Istanbul's largest synagogue -- was the site of an attack by gunmen, believed to have been Palestinians, in 1986. More than 22 people were killed and six injured in the attack that took place during a Sabbath service. Another bomb attack in 1992 did not cause any injuries.
Information for this report is provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.