Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said it appears as if the attack was carried out by the militant group calling itself Islamic State but no-one has so far claimed the attack.
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Witnesses described scenes of terror and panic on Tuesday evening as the attackers opened fire and then blew themselves up at the entrance to the global arrivals terminal at Ataturk airport, one of Europe’s busiest hubs. But authorities have blamed the grouo for several attacks, including a blast in Ankara in October 2015 that left over 100 people dead and an attack on Istanbul’s busy tourist district Istiklal Street which killed three Israelis and an Iranian.
The official said the attackers detonated the explosives at the entrance of the worldwide terminal before entering the x-ray security check.
A health official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to restrictions, said to the media that six injured were in a critical condition.
Following their evacuation after a series of explosions, a flight’s passengers leave on a bus from Istanbul’s Ataturk airport in the early-morning hours of June 29, 2016.
“The attack, which took place during the holy month of Ramadan, shows that terrorism strikes with no regard for faith and values”, he said in a statement.
“There were little babies crying, people shouting, broken glass and blood all over the floor”.
Yildirim said initial indications suggested Daesh was responsible.
“The bombs that exploded in Istanbul today could have gone off at any airport in any city”, he said in a statement.
Turkey is beset by an array of security threats, 26, including from ultra-left radicals, Kurdish rebels demanding greater autonomy in the restive southeast, and IS militants.
Two explosions ripped through the X-ray security check area in the busy terminal building at 8.30pm last night. “The target and modus operandi are similar to what we’ve seen during the Brussels airport attacks”.
Brussels airport, itself the scene of suicide bombings just months ago, tweeted condolences, saying: “Our thoughts are with the victims of the attacks at @istanbulairport”. The country is a key partner in the US -led coalition against Islamic State and a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation member.
Turkey announced the restoration of diplomatic ties with Israel on Monday after a six-year rupture and has been trying to restore relations with Russian Federation, a major backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
While there has been no claim of responsibility.federal officials tell CBS News the incident has all the hallmarks of the an ISIS attack.
Condemning the blasts, Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had called for a unified global fight against terrorism in his message to his countrymen.
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Hundreds of members of the Turkish security forces have since been killed in PKK attacks. Low-cost Turkish carrier Onur Air is the second-largest airline there.
