Turkish forces kill mastermind of February attack

The video shows the alleged police officer, in short sleeves, approaching a man dressed in black. “At that time, the bomb went off”, he told The Associated Press.

There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack, but Turkish officials say early evidence points to a strike by the Islamic State group.

One of the attackers headed to the airport’s parking garage, the other headed to global arrival Gate A, and the third one headed to the worldwide departures terminal, sources said.

Turkish authorities have blamed the shooting and suicide bombing attacks Tuesday night on the Islamic State group.

The 15-member council expressed its sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the Turkish government. Seventeen other people were detained in the province of Gaziantep, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Speaking in the town of Kilis near the border with Syria, Erdogan said the Syrian leader was responsible for the deaths of some 600,000 of his own citizens and was the root cause of the war in Syria.

They brought with them suicide vests, bombs and a deadly plan from ISIS leadership.

In Paris, the Eiffel Tower was illuminated in the red-and-white colors of the Turkish flag to honor the victims in Istanbul. Officials said 94 of the over 230 people reported wounded in the attack were still hospitalized.

Ocal, who was married and an employee at Ataturk Airport had sustained serious wounds to the head, the agency said. The death toll from the attack now stands at 44.

Investigators’ attentions have reportedly focused on whether a Chechen extremist known to be a top lieutenant in the Islamic State group masterminded the attack. She had travelled to Istanbul with her husband and 3-year-old son for Ramadan.

Turkish Interior Minister Efkan Ala said Thursday that 13 people had been arrested in connection with the Istanbul attack, including four foreigners.

The police investigation further revealed that the three bombers stayed in the apartment in Fatih ahead of the attack.

Of the hundreds wounded, 80 are still hospitalized, Istanbul officials said.

Yildirim said airport operations resumed Wednesday morning. Turkish officials have not confirmed Chatayev’s involvement to CNN.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations.

Turkey’s interior minister said the explosives used were a mix of RDX, TNT and PETN that were “manufactured”. “And I hope we come to an agreement”.

Relations between Germany and Turkey have been strained since the German Parliament voted on June 2 to label the killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks a century ago genocide. His relatives railed against Turkish authorities, blaming them for failing to ensure airport security. The manhunt spanned three neighbourhoods on the city’s Asian and European sides.

The four were attempting to return to Turkey from a conflict zone in Syria under Islamic State control, it said.

The three guys who carried out Tuesday’s fatal assault on Istanbul’s Ataturk airport were from parts of the former USSR, Turkish sources say.

“It is clear that this was Daesh”, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said late Friday, using another name for IS.

“One of them blew himself up outside and the other two took advantage of the panic during the opening of the fire, entered inside and blew themselves up”.