File photo taken on Feb. 1, 2016 shows the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey. Two explosions hit the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul on Tuesday evening, with gunfire heard and injuries reported, CNNTurk said. (Xinhua/Cihan)
Turkish PM said 36 were killed in explosions that hit the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul on Tuesday evening and involved three suicide bombers, forcing the suspension of all flights.
"We're evaluating the possibility of three suicide bombers," Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin told the press at the airport.
Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said earlier in Ankara that one terrorist opened fire with a Kalashnikov rifle at random and then blew himself up.
A Turkish official was quoted as saying on Twitter that the vast majority of casualties are Turkish citizens, with foreigners among the dead and wounded.
The police have closed the entrances and exits of the airport, and some inbound flights to the airport have been diverted in the aftermath of the attacks, press reports said.
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has ordered the formation of a crisis desk and was coming to Istanbul overnight.
Kerem Kinik, the head of Turkish Red Crescent, has appealed for blood donation.
A Chinese national upstairs at the airport said he heard of gunfires and ran for cover. He then heard of one explosion inside, and saw smoke everywhere and the injured being carried away.
"It's really good to be alive," he added.
The security situation in Turkey has deteriorated over the past year, with Istanbul, the national capital of Ankara and other cities having already been hit by a number of bombing attacks.
The latest attack that hit Istanbul occurred on June 7, in which a bomb-laden car targeted a riot police shuttle bus, killing 11 people, including six police officers.
