ISTANBUL — 2016 · Major Tragedy

Sultanahmet Square Bombing

SolvedSources: ALast updated: 14 October 2026

On the morning of 12 January 2016, a suicide bomber struck a tourist group, mostly German citizens, beside the Obelisk in Istanbul's Sultanahmet Square. Twelve German tourists were killed and 16 people injured. The bomber was identified as a Syrian national linked to ISIS. In the trial of 26 defendants, three were sentenced in 2018 to aggravated life imprisonment plus hundreds of years, and 18 were acquitted for lack of evidence. After the verdict was overturned on appeal, a retrial sentenced four defendants to aggravated life imprisonment.

Date: 2016
Place: Sultanahmet (Fatih), Istanbul
Category: Major Tragedy
Case Status: Solved
Coordinates: 41.0056, 28.9750 ↗

Timeline of Events

12 January 2016A bombing in Sultanahmet killed 12 tourists.
2016Charges were filed against 26 defendants.

31 January 2018Three received aggravated life; 18 were acquitted.
2021On retrial, four defendants received aggravated life.

Sources

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