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Turkey airport attack: 28 dead after suicide bombers strike Ataturk International airport in Istanbul Turkey airport attack: 36 dead after suicide bombers strike Ataturk International airport in Istanbul
(about 1 hour later)
Two explosions rocked Turkey’s largest airport on Tuesday leaving at least 28 people dead with dozens of others injured. Two explosions rocked Turkey’s largest airport on Tuesday leaving at least 36 people dead and 147 others injured. The death toll is expected to rise up to 50, one senior Turkish official told the Associated Press.
One senior Turkish official told the Associated Press that the death toll is expected to rise up to 50. Security guards exchanged gunfire with two suspects carrying AK-47 rifles at 10pm on Tuesday before both attackers detonated suicide bombs as they reached the first security checkpoint at the Ataturk airport in Istanbul. A third assailant detonated his explosives in the airport’s parking lot, Istanbul Governor Vasip Şahin told several Turkish media outlets.
Officials said that police fired weapons on two suspects who blew themselves up before passing through the first x-ray security checkpoint at the Ataturk airport in Istanbul.
Istanbul Governor Vasip Şahin told several Turkish media outlets that three suicide bombers carried out the attacks in three different areas at the airport.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded by urging Western countries to take a firm stance against terrorism.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded by urging Western countries to take a firm stance against terrorism.
“The bombs that went off in Istanbul today could have gone off in any city in the world, in any airport. I want everyone to understand that, to the terrorists, there is no difference between Istanbul and London, Ankara and Berline, Izmir and Chicago,” President Erdogan said in a written statement. “Unless we come together as all countries and as all people, and fight against the terrorists together, all possibilities that we can’t even dare think of right now will come true.” “The bombs that went off in Istanbul today could have gone off in any city in the world, in any airport. I want everyone to understand that, to the terrorists, there is no difference between Istanbul and London, Ankara and Berline, Izmir and Chicago,” President Erdogan said in a written statement.
“Unless we come together as all countries and as all people, and fight against the terrorists together, all possibilities that we can’t even dare think of right now will come true.”
The suspects were reportedly armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles. Video footage shows people running for cover inside the terminal building.The suspects were reportedly armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles. Video footage shows people running for cover inside the terminal building.
One witness told NBC News that he saw a police officer wrestle a suicide bomber to the ground before the attack detonated his bomb.One witness told NBC News that he saw a police officer wrestle a suicide bomber to the ground before the attack detonated his bomb.
All scheduled flights have been grounded and passengers were being rushed to nearby hotels. The Ataturk airport is the third busiest European airport following London’s Heathrow and the Charles De Gaulle in Paris.All scheduled flights have been grounded and passengers were being rushed to nearby hotels. The Ataturk airport is the third busiest European airport following London’s Heathrow and the Charles De Gaulle in Paris.
Facebook has activated their Safety Check feature for people in the surrounding area. The US Embassy encouraged people to directly contact their loved ones and use the check-in features on social media.Facebook has activated their Safety Check feature for people in the surrounding area. The US Embassy encouraged people to directly contact their loved ones and use the check-in features on social media.
The US State Department also announced that it is trying to determine if any Americans were killed in the attack. The US State Department also announced that it is trying to determine if any Americans were killed on Tuesday night.
No terrorist groups have claimed responsibility for bombings. While no terrorist groups have claimed responsibility for the massacre, Turkish security forces believe Isis was behind the attacks.