Update: 41 Dead, 239 Wounded After Suicide Bombers Detonate Explosives At Istanbul Airport
41 people are dead and another 239 were injured after two explosions hit Ataturk airport in Istanbul on Tuesday night, according to the city’s governor Vasip Şahin.
Update: 41 dead and 239 wounded in Istanbul airport attack, says governor of city
— Borzou Daragahi (@borzou) June 29, 2016
Reports in the initial wake of the bombings stated that the airport was hit by two attackers, but that number was updated to three as the investigation continued through the night. According to the New York Times, the incident began just before 10 p.m. when two attackers opened fire at a security checkpoint at the entrance of the airport. Per BuzzFeed, the two engaged in a firefight with security officers as they entered the airport terminal before detonating their explosives. Meanwhile, another attacker set of his bomb in an airport parking lot.
Security camera footage from inside the Ataturk airport captured the two explosions inside the terminal. The first shows one of the attackers in a firefight with police and then detonating his explosives; the second shows a large fireball erupting in a crowded terminal. Warning: both are very graphic and show people dying:
Though no terror group has yet to claim responsibility for the attack, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told press that the bombings were carried out by ISIS.
On Monday, the U.S. State Department updated its travel warning regarding Turkey, stating in part that “the U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens of increased threats from terrorist groups throughout Turkey and to avoid travel to southeastern Turkey.”
Images from the scene show extensive damage both inside and outside the airport: