TIL Desk/World/Istanbul-Turkey pointed the finger of blame at Islamic State jihadists after suicide bombers armed with automatic rifles attacked Istanbul’s main international airport, killing 41 people, including foreigners. Witnesses described scenes of terror and panic last evening as the attackers began shooting indiscriminately and then blew themselves up at the entrance to Ataturk airport, one of Europe’s busiest hubs.
The assault, which comes at the start of Turkey’s crucial tourist season, was the latest in a wave of attacks in Istanbul and the capital Ankara blamed either on Islamic State (IS) jihadists or Kurdish rebels. There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said “the evidence points to Daesh”, using another name for IS.
The city’s governor said 41 people were killed, including 13 foreigners, and 239 wounded. The dead include several Saudis, a Chinese national, a Tunisian and a Ukrainian. The carnage sparked global condemnation, with US President Barack Obama speaking by phone with his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to express his condolences, according to Turkish presidential sources.
