At least 10 people were killed Tuesday in an explosion in a district of Istanbul popular with tourists, the city authorities said.

The explosion occurred just after 10:00 local time (08:00 GMT) in the city's historic Sultanahmet district, close to the Blue Mosque, reported the BBC.

Fifteen people were also wounded in the blast, the Istanbul Governor's Office said in a statement on its website.

Some reports suggest the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber.

Police have sealed off the area and the authorities are investigating the type of explosive used, the governor's office said.

Source: MENA