2 explosions rock Istanbul airport, at least 10 killed and dozens injured

Two explosions rocked Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport Tuesday when two suicide bombers detonated their explosive vests near the entrance of the main terminal, according to officials and initial reports, which said at least 10 people were killed and as many as 40 injured.

Pictures moving across social media sites showed debris and wounded people on the ground inside one of the airport’s buildings and there were reports that a gun battle had briefly raged in the parking lot of the international terminal.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blasts, which follow a wave of recent terrorist attacks in Turkey, a NATO member. Turkish authorities have linked the past attacks to both Kurdish separatists in the nation and the Islamic State group based in neighboring Syria and Iraq.

The most recent incident was June 7, when a car bomb ripped through a police bus in central Istanbul during the morning rush hour, killing 11 people and wounding 36 near the main tourist district, a major university and the mayor’s office. There was also no immediate claim of responsibility for that attack.

The U.S. State Department updated its travel warning Monday for Turkey, cautioning U.S. citizens “of increased threats from terrorist groups throughout” the nation and warning specifically against travel to southeastern Turkey.

Officials said the attackers detonated the explosives at the entrance of the international terminal before entering the X-ray security check.

Turkish airports have security checks at both at the entrance of terminal buildings and then later before entry to departure gates.

With a chaotic scene of ambulances, shouting and carnage at the airport swirling across CNN, the BBC and other international television broadcasts, Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said initial counts were that 10 people were killed in the blasts.

“According to the information I was given, a terrorist at the international terminal entrance first opened fire with a Kalashnikov and then blew himself up,” the minister added, according to The Associated Press.

• This article is based in part on wire service reports.