(Newswire.net — June 29, 2016) —A triple suicide bombing at the Ataturk International airport in Istanbul on Tuesday night, left 41 dead and 239 wounded. Most of the victims are Turkish citizens, but at least 13 are reported to be foreigners, though police have not yet announced from which countries. The Turkish agency DHA reported that there are also policemen among the wounded.
Eyewitnesses said that they first heard two explosions, which were followed by the sound of gunfire. The official police report said that the attack was carried out by three suicide bombers, who detonated explosive vests in the arrivals hall, before reaching the X-ray checks.
Chaos followed the attack at Ataturk airport. Eyewitnesses have published pictures on Twitter showing the wounded outside on the parking lot of the terminal, and weapons on the floor of the airport. There was panic among the passengers, parts of the airport building falling down, and taxi drivers transporting the injured.
The images from Istanbul, published on the social network, are frightening. One video has shown the moment the bomb exploded, another, even scarier, showed the terrorists detonating their explosive vests after clashes with the police.
According to the officials, the suicide bombers wore vests which they detonated after opening fire at the arrival terminal of the most visited Turkish airport.
Turkish authorities first banned media coverage of the terrorist attack to prevent the spread of panic in Istanbul and Turkey.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned the attack, stating that the goal of the attack was to undermine Turkey by killing the innocent. The President called for a united global fight against terrorism.
Turkey has been the target of numerous terrorist attacks in recent months. Two attacks in Istanbul earlier this year were carried out by members of ISIS, and several car bombings took place with a Kurdish militant group taking responsibility.
Turkish authorities believe that ISIS is responsible for the Tuesday night attack.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey reported that security forces have taken precautions and safety measures, and that Ataturk airport has been reopened today for traffic and continues to work.
Turkey has declared today a day of mourning, and the government has ordered the flags to be lowered to half-mast.