This archive report was first published on 8 January 2020.
On January 8, 2020, a devastating attack shook Istanbul's Ataturk international airport, leaving a trail of destruction and chaos in its wake.
According to reports, at least two explosions and gunfire erupted at the airport, resulting in multiple injuries.
A Turkish official quoted by Reuters stated that two suicide bombers had blown themselves up, causing widespread panic and destruction.
Police had opened fire to neutralize the suspects at an entry point, as reported by Reuters.
Just a few months prior, in December, a blast on the tarmac at Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen airport had killed a cleaner, highlighting the growing threat of terrorism in the region.
Recent bomb attacks in Turkey have been linked to Kurdish separatists or the so-called Islamic State group, sparking concerns about the country's security.
Forty people were injured in the attack, according to Turkish newspaper Haberturk, which reported on its website (in Turkish) that gunfire was directed from an airport car park.
A US State Department travel warning, originally published in March and updated on Monday, urges US citizens to exercise heightened vigilance and caution when visiting public access areas, especially those heavily frequented by tourists.
