Terror strikes Turkey

Terror strikes Turkey

June 30, 2016
Relatives of one of the victims of the blast at Istanbul Ataturk Airport mourn in front of a morgue in Istanbul on Wednesday. — Reuters
Relatives of one of the victims of the blast at Istanbul Ataturk Airport mourn in front of a morgue in Istanbul on Wednesday. — Reuters

[caption id="attachment_65955" align="alignleft" width="243"]Relatives of one of the victims of the blast at Istanbul Ataturk Airport mourn in front of a morgue in Istanbul on Wednesday. — Reuters Relatives of one of the victims of the blast at Istanbul Ataturk Airport mourn in front of a morgue in Istanbul on Wednesday. — Reuters[/caption]Istanbul — Five Saudis were among 13 foreigners killed in a triple suicide bombing at Istanbul’s international airport, a Turkish official said.
A total of 41 people were killed and 239 injured. The city governor’s office said in a statement that 109 of the 239 wounded were discharged from hospital.

A Turkish official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said five of the dead were from Saudi Arabia, two were from Iraq, and one from Tunisia, Uzbekistan, China, Iran, Ukraine and Jordan.

However, a Saudi consulate statement said that seven Saudis were among the injured.

Saudi national Abdul Rahman Abdullah, 18, was killed in the attack, his relative was quoted as saying by Al-Riyadh Arabic daily.

Three of Abdul Rahman’s brothers were injured, said the relative, adding that the brothers were in Turkey for Eid holidays.

Turkish investigators pored over video footage and witness statements on Wednesday after three suicide bombers opened fire and blew themselves up in Istanbul’s main airport.

President Tayyip Erdogan said the attack should serve as a turning point in the global fight against terrorism, which he said had “no regard for faith or values.”

Delayed travelers were sleeping on floors at the airport, as some passengers and airport staff cried and hugged each other.

The national carrier said it had cancelled 340 flights although its departures resumed after 8:00 a.m. (0500 GMT).

Paul Roos, 77, a South African tourist on his way home, said he saw one of the attackers “randomly shooting” in the departures hall from about 50 meters away. “He was wearing all black. His face was not masked ... We ducked behind a counter but I stood up and watched him. Two explosions went off shortly after one another. By that time he had stopped shooting,” Roos told Reuters.

“He turned around and started coming towards us. He was holding his gun inside his jacket. He looked around anxiously to see if anyone was going to stop him and then went down the escalator ... We heard some more gunfire and then another explosion, and then it was over.” — With agencies


June 30, 2016
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