ISTANBUL — Three suicide bombs rocked Istanbul’s Ataturk airport on Tuesday, killing at least 36 and injuring more than 140, according to Turkey’s Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag. The death toll is expected to rise to nearly 50, a senior official said. Earlier reports had said there were two attackers, but that number has since been updated.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim says that so far all indications point to ISIS being behind the attack. He says the attackers arrived at the airport in a taxi and blew themselves up after opening fire with guns.
Here is video from inside the international terminal, where the attacks occurred:
Officials said the attackers detonated the explosives at the entrance of the international terminal before entering the x-ray security check.
Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said that according to preliminary information, “a terrorist at the international terminal entrance first opened fire with a Kalashnikov and then blew himself up.”
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has put in place a ground stop for any U.S. flights that were scheduled to fly to Istanbul and any flights leaving Istanbul for the United States, CNN’s Rene Marsh reports.
Turkish airports have security checks at both at the entrance of terminal buildings and then later before entry to departure gates.
The airport is the 11th busiest in the world, and the third busiest in Europe.
Turkey has suffered several bombings in recent months linked to Kurdish or Islamic State group militants.
