11 December 2016, 14:55 GMT
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Merkel called Erdogan to offer her condolences after a twin blast near a football stadium in Istanbul killed at least 38 people, most of them riot police officers.
"The chancellor asked the president to express her sympathy to victims’ relatives and offered help to the injured, should the need arise. The chancellor and the president agreed to intensify cooperation in fighting terrorism," Ulrike Demmer said.
A car bombing and a suicide attack targeted a police bus that was deployed near the Vodafone Arena for the time of a game between two local teams. The deadly attack was claimed by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), a Kurdish militant group.
