At least 36 people have been killed in attacks at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport, which the Turkish prime minister said was likely carried out by the Islamic State (ISIS) group.
Binali Yildirim said three suicide bombers were involved in the attack late on Tuesday evening.
Ataturk is Turkey’s largest airport and a major transport hub for travellers from around the world. Pictures posted on social media from the site showed wounded people lying on the ground inside and outside the international terminal.
A helicopter buzzed overhead as police evacuated the building. Dozens of passengers walked back down access roads with their luggage, trying to hail cabs.
Ali Tekin, who was at the arrivals hall waiting for a guest, said the roof came down after an “extremely loud” explosion. “Inside the airport it is terrible, you can’t recognize it, the damage is big,” Tekin said.
A woman named Duygu, who was at passport control after arriving from Germany, said she threw herself to the floor after the explosion. “Everyone started running away. Everywhere was covered with blood and body parts. I saw bullet holes on the doors,” she said.
Paul Roos, 77, said he saw one of the attackers “randomly shooting” in the departures hall from about 50 meters (55 yards) away. “He was wearing all black. His face was not masked,” said Roos, a South African on his way home after a holiday in southern Turkey.
“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,” said Roos.
“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.”
