Greece's Foreign Ministry has expressed "rage and revulsion" over the attacks at Istanbul airport, condemning the suicide bomb attacks that claimed the lives of at least 36 people. The Foreign Ministry said in a statement Wednesday that a Greek consular team had gone to the airport immediately after the blasts to provide assistance to Greek citizens to ensure they were transported safely to hotels in the city, and the Greek Consulate in Istanbul was working to help repatriate citizens. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, whose plane landed in Istanbul minutes after the attacks on Istanbul's airport, has expressed his condolences to the victims. Turkish officials say Istanbul's busy Ataturk International Airport has reopened, hours after three suicide bombers killed 36 and wounded 147. Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told reporters that air traffic returned to normal and "Our airport has been opened to flights and departures from 02:20 (local time) on," in a press statement at the airport early Wednesday morning. Turkish Airline's website says "flight operations have been restarted" and instructs passengers to monitor actual flight information. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said his thoughts were with the victims and their families, and vowed that "we will continue our fight against terrorism together with our allies with full force." Jens Stoltenberg, NATO's secretary-general, said in a statement: My thoughts are with the families of the victims, those injured and the people of Turkey. A stoppage of flights to and from the United States and Istanbul Ataturk Airport lasted several hours but has been lifted, said a U.S. official who spoke on background to discuss sensitive security issues. According to the private Dogan news agency, a plane carrying Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama was landing at Istanbul's Ataturk airport when the attack occurred. The embassy statement was carried on Saudi Arabia's state-owned al-Ekhbaria news channel early Wednesday. U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said the secretary-general "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." The international community must — through much closer cooperation — redouble efforts to contain and fight radical and violent extremism. Turkey's prime minister says 36 people and three suicide bombers have died in the attack at Istanbul's Ataturk airport. White House spokesman Josh Earnest says the United States condemns in the strongest terms possible the attacks at the Istanbul Ataturk Airport that killed at least 31 people and left dozens more wounded. Earnest says the United States remains steadfast in its support for Turkey, a NATO ally and partner, "along with all of our friends and allies around the world, as we continue to confront the threat of terrorism." Another senior government official says the death toll could climb much higher. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government protocol, also said all initial indications suggest the Islamic State group was behind the attack. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has released a statement condemning the attack on Istanbul's Ataturk airport, which took place during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. A senior Turkish government official has told The Associated Press all initial indications suggest the Islamic State group is behind the attack at Istanbul's Ataturk airport. Turkey's NTV television is quoting Istanbul's governor as saying 28 people were killed in the attack at the city's airport and some 60 people wounded. Officials had previously said one or two attackers had blown themselves up at the entrance to the international terminal at the airport after police fired at them. Others are sitting on the grass, their bodies lit by the flashing lights of ambulances and police cars, which are the only kind of vehicles allowed to reach the airport. Turkey's state-run news agency quoted Bekir Bozdag as saying: 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 official 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.
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