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Spotlight: Int'l community condemns terrorist attack at Istanbul airport

Xinhua, June 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

Countries and organizations around the world have unanimously condemned the terrorist attack at Istanbul's Ataturk airport in Turkey, which killed at least 36 people and injured more than 140 others.

Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Wednesday said there are signs indicating that Tuesday night's attacks were carried out by IS, but efforts to identify the attackers are still underway.

The prime minister ordered the formation of a crisis desk and vowed to fight terrorism with "unity and solidarity."

Three suspected IS terrorists arrived at the Ataturk international airport by taxi on Tuesday night local time and opened fire randomly at the departure and arrival halls before blowing themselves up.

Early Wednesday, several local and international Turkish Airlines flights were scheduled to take off from around 9 am (0600 GMT), according to the airport's website. Arrivals resumed in the early hours, and people were allowed into the departures hall.

The security situation in Turkey has deteriorated over the past year. A number of bomb attacks have hit Istanbul, the Turkish capital of Ankara and other cities.

The latest attack that hit Istanbul occurred on June 7, in which a car bomb targeted a riot police shuttle bus, killing 11 people.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday condemned the terrorist attack, hoping "the perpetrators of this crime will be identified and brought to justice."

"He (Ban) stands firmly by Turkey as it confronts this threat and stresses the need to intensify regional and international efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism," his spokesperson added.

The U.S. White House on Tuesday condemned the attack "in the strongest possible terms," saying "Ataturk International Airport, like Brussels airport which was attacked earlier this year, is a symbol of international connections and the ties that bind us together."

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday grounded all flights between the United States and Istanbul, Turkey's most populous city, after the attack.

It remains unclear how long the order would last.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said "the Australian government condemns what appears to be a coordinated terror attack on the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey on June 28. Our thoughts and sympathies are with the people of Turkey."

The foreign minister also urged Australians to reconsider their need for travel to Turkey, while she instructed Australians in Turkey to be alert in any crowded area.

In Asia, Singapore strongly condemned the attacks on the Istanbul Ataturk Airport on Wednesday, saying "we stand in solidarity with the Turkish people and government during this difficult time."

Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif also strongly condemned the terror attack at the Ataturk airport, and expressed solidarity with the people of Turkey. Sharif said he condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo took to Twitter to express his condolence, saying that "humanity has been torn apart once again" over the suicide terror blasts, and "the world is united against terrorism." The government called on all Indonesian nationals in Turkey to remain vigilant. Endi