Istanbul municipality re-names terror attack site

By Hanife Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) – The site of Saturday’s deadly terror attack in Istanbul has been renamed, a local municipality confirmed on Monday.

Forty-four people -- 36 police officers and eight civilians -- died when two explosions rocked the Besiktas district, beside the Vodafone Arena football ground.

A car bomb exploded two hours after the end of a Turkish league match between Besiktas and Bursaspor.

Moments later a suicide bomb attack rocked Macka Park in the same neighborhood. The suicide bomber blew himself up after police identified him, according to Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu.

The name of the hill where the terrorist attack took place called -- Belestepe -- has been re-named Martyrs’ Hill, Besiktas municipality announced on Monday.

Besiktas municipality will also erect a monument in the place where the terrorist attack took place.

Belestepe -- meaning "free hill" -- had been called that because it used to provide a view of the Inonu Stadium -- former home to the Besiktas football club -- for fans who could not afford tickets.

Earlier this year, Turkey also renamed Istanbul's famous Bosphorus Bridge in honor of those who lost their lives during the defeated July 15 coup attempt.