Breaking: Explosions Rock Istanbul airport, leaving 28 dead and 60 injured

 

Explosions in Istanbul's main international airport have left 28 people dead and 60 injured, Turkish officials say, in what appears to be the latest in a string of attacks in Turkey's biggest city this year.

According to reports from Turkey's NTV; "three suicide bombers carried out an attack.

In comments broadcast by CNN Turk, Mr Bozdag said: "According to information I have received, at the entrance to the Ataturk Airport international terminal a terrorist first opened fire with a Kalashnikov and then blew themself up."

Pictures posted on social media from the site showed injured people lying on the ground inside and outside one of the terminal buildings.

Footage from broadcasters, including CNN Turk, showed ambulances rushing to the scene.

The blasts sparked panic among passengers, CNN Turk cited witnesses as saying.

    "It was very strong, everyone panicked and started running in all directions," one witness said.

Another witness said gunfire was heard from the car park at the airport.

Meanwhile,  officials say scheduled flights would not allowed to take off, but planes in the air would be allowed to land.

Turkey has suffered a spate of bombings this year, including two suicide attacks in tourist areas of Istanbul blamed on the Islamic State (IS) group, and two car bombings in the capital, Ankara, which were claimed by a Kurdish militant group.