PKK offshoot TAK claims responsibility for deadly twin bombings in Istanbul

The Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK), an offshoot linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), has claimed responsibility for a bomb attack outside near Beşiktaş's Vodafone Arena Stadium that killed 38 people and wounded 155.

In a statement on its website, TAK said it had carried out the attacks for a number of reasons, including continued imprisoned of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan.

TAK has taken responsibility for other deadly attacks in Turkey this year.