Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim quickly pointed the finger at IS, although there has been no claim of responsibility for Tuesday's attack which killed at least 41 people and wounded 239.
One of them was a Tunisian identified as Fathi Bayoudh, a doctor who had reportedly been in Turkey for several weeks in an attempt to repatriate his son with the help of diplomats.
Bayoudh's son was accused of having joined IS in Syria, a foreign ministry source was quoted as saying by Tunisia's private Mosaique FM radio station.
Contacted by AFP, the head of consular affairs at Tunis' foreign ministry, Faycal Ben Mustapha, confirmed the Tunisian consulate in Istanbul had been in contact "with the Bayoudh family since December".
"It was to do with their son. We don't know exactly what he did, but he went to Iraq and then Syria and ended up in detention in Turkey," he said.
A defence ministry spokesman said a Tunisian in Turkey on private business was killed in yestreday's attack.
Tunisia has also been the victim of attacks claimed by IS, and it is thought that thousands of Tunisians have travelled to join jihadist organisations in Syria, Iraq, and neighbouring Libya.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
