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Death toll from bombing near Besiktas' stadium rises to 44

The death toll from Saturday's bomb attacks outside Besiktas' stadium in Istanbul has risen to 44, with 149 wounded, Turkey's health minister has announced.

A car bomb was detonated close to a bus carrying riot police outside the Vodafone Arena around two hours after Besiktas' 2-1 win over Bursaspor and was quickly followed by a suicide bombing in nearby Macka Park.

The first government report on Saturday said 29 had died with 155 wounded.

Health minister Recep Akdag, in remarks to parliament on Monday reported by the Dogan news agency, said: "We faced a very heavy, bloody attack on 36 police and eight civilians who lost their lives."

Addressing the strain the episode has put on him in his role with the ministry, he added: "I have been working constantly for two days without sleep."

The Freedom Falcons Movement (TAK), an offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), has claimed responsibility for Saturday's attack as an act of revenge for state violence against the ethnic minority in the southeast.