ISTANBUL: Turkish police sealed off a central Istanbul square in the historic Sultanahmet district on Tuesday after a large explosion, left several people dead and wounded, Turkish television channels including NTV reported, but they did not provide an exact figure for the casualties.

Ambulances rushed to the scene of the explosion in Sultanahmet square, close to the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, in a major tourist area of Turkey's most populous city.

A witness told a Reuters correspondent that there were body parts at the scene in Sultanahmet square, a major tourist attraction. A police officer confirmed the witness' account.