22 injured in Turkey explosion

By the CNN Wire Staff

October 31, 2010 -- Updated 1053 GMT (1853 HKT)

Istanbul, Turkey (CNN) -- At least 22 people were wounded in an apparent suicide bombing in the center of Istanbul on Sunday, police said.

Ten police officers and 12 civilians were wounded in the attack in Taksim Square, police said.

Two of the wounded police officers are in critical condition, Istanbul Police Chief Huseyin Capkin said.

The bustling square houses a commercial district and a major transportation network that includes buses, metro systems and taxis. Visitors throng the area, which is typically patrolled by lots of officers.

Capkin said it appeared that a male suicide bomber caused the explosion. A second unexploded bomb was found near the body of the bomber.

The suspected bomber tried to board a police bus parked in the square, but the explosion happened before he could enter, Capkin said.

Analysts familiar with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, known as the PKK, told CNN Turk that it is likely PKK was behind the

attack.

But a party spokesman told CNN that he did not know anything about the explosion.

"This blast in Taksim or explosion, I have no idea about it," PKK spokesman Roj Qandil said.

Qandil said the PKK's "unilateral cease-fire" was scheduled to end Sunday, but he said party leader Murat Karayilan told a Turkish journalist several days ago that "we are not going to do any actions against civilians anymore."

CNN's Talia Kayali and Ivan Watson contributed to this report.