50 killed, 60 injured as 3 suicide explosions, gun shots rocks Istanbul’s Ataturk airport

Turkey: At least 28 people has been killed and more than 60 others wounded in a horrific suicide attack that occurred at about 10 pm local time, as three explosions rocked the international departure terminal of Istanbul's Ataturk airport on Tuesday night..

Reports said Turkish police reportedly engaged two gunmen in gunfire exchange outside the initial security perimeter that surrounds the airport main entrance in an effort to neutralize them.

Turkish officials claimed two suspects opened fire and blew themselves up during the gun battle.

According to eyewitness,

“It was very strong, everyone panicked and started running in all directions,”

Wounded victims among who were police officers, were being transferred to Bakirkoy State Hospital.

Some flights to Ataturk airport have been diverted in light of the attack. An official added that it was not clear which flights would be diverted on Wednesday morning.

Flight departures were also halted from Istanbul airport, with passengers being taken to hotels, an official from Turkish Airways said, adding that planes will be allowed to land at the airport until 21 GMT.

In a statement by Turky's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the suicide attack on Istanbul's main international airport was aimed at undermining Turkey through the killing of innocent people.
In a written statement, he said:

"It is clear that this attack is not aimed at achieving any result but only to create propaganda material against our country using simply the blood and pain of innocent people."

Mr Erdogan also said he expected the world to show a "decisive stance" against terrorist groups in the wake of the attack.

There were indications that suggest ISIL are behind the attack. 

 

Ataturk airport a major hub for Turkish airline is the largest airport in Turkey, and the third largest in Europe. 

According to statistics by Airports Council International, Ataturk airport is ranked as the 11th most busy airport worldwide in terms of the total number of passengers in 2015.

The U.S. Department of State had on Monday issued a travel warning to Americans traveling to Turkey.

Turkey has witnessed a succession of bombings this year, with the recent attack in which a car bomb ripped through a police bus in central Istanbul killing 11 people and wounding 36.