World Bulletin / News Desk

Unknown armed individuals on Monday opened fire on the US consulate in Istanbul, television reported, with tensions high in Turkey due to Ankara's bombing campaign against Kurdish rebels.

The two assailants, one of whom was a woman, escaped after opening fire and are now being pursued, the CNN-Turk and NTV channels reported. There were no reports of casualties.

The attack came after a suspected suicide bomber in a vehicle packed with explosives just after midnight Monday attacked a police station in the Istanbul district of Sultanbeyli, wounding 10 people including three police, the Anatolia news agency reported.

"One deputy police chief, two police officers and seven people were slightly injured in an attack with a bomb-laden vehicle to the Fatih Police Station in Sultanbeyli district at 01.00 a.m. [2200GMT, on Sunday] ," said the Istanbul Police department. 

The department added that the attack was orchestrated by "terrorists" according to initial reports.

The wounded were taken to the Sultanbeyli State Hospital. 

Police have launched an investigation to identify and apprehend the perpetrators of the attack and have increased security at the police station.

Despite the increased security, shots were fired at the police station at around 06.45 a.m. [0345GMT] on Monday, security officials said.