TWITTER Three suicide bombers open fire at Turkey's main airport

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Five Saudi nationals and 23 Turkish citizens are among the dead, officials have confirmed. A Turkish official said 13 nationalities as well as Turks were killed in the airport attack in Istanbul on Tuesday, including tourists from Iraq, China, Jordan and Tunisia. Three attackers opened fire near a terminal entrance and blew themselves up after police fired at them, according to officials. A flurry of gunfire was heard by fleeing witnesses, as the attackers and police engaged in a shoot out, with the suicide bombers wielding AK-47s. One person at the scene saw a brave police officer wrestle a suicide bomber to the ground, then the attacker detonated his bomb.

TWITTER 10 people are said to have been killed

Police believe ISIS was behind the suicide attack, according to the Dogan News Agency. They cited police sources as saying: "ISIS is behind the attack" at Ataturk Airport. However, a Turkish official said it was too early to confirm any links when asked about the Dogan News Agency report. Turkish prime minister Bilnali Yildirim also said in a statement findings suggest ISIS is responsible for the attack. Yildirim said: “According to assessments so far, 36 people have lost their lives and there were also many wounded.”

Harrowing photos from the scene, which Express.co.uk have chosen not to publish, showed severely injured people lying on the ground in pools of blood. In some images, at least four bodies can be seen strewn outside the terminal entrance. At least three suicide bombers are thought to be behind the deadly attack. Turkish officials have claimed it was a joint suicide attack, with two suspected attackers blowing themselves up near the security check-in at the international terminal. It is thought the trio were trying to pass through the x-ray check point when they were stopped by security. Footage allegedly from the scene showed passengers cowering on the floor while others shout: "Get down." Other clips showed terrified travellers hunkering down and hiding in shops.

EPA It is thought at least 36 people have been injured

Speaking in parliament, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said: "According to information I have received, at the entrance to the Ataturk Airport international terminal a terrorist first opened fire with a Kalashnikov and then blew themself up.” An abandoned kalashnikov was photographed on the floor of the airport, reportedly one of the weapons used in the chilling attack. Some police who retaliated in a bid to stop the attackers before they reached a security checkpoint are said to be among the wounded, but this has yet to be officially confirmed.

TWITTER One of the weapons said to have been left behind by an attacker

Photographs from the airport show scenes of devastation, with debris, tiles and scorch marks visible at the now-deserted building after police evacuated evacuated it. Footage shows scores of ambulances rushing towards Turkey's largest airport, and all emergency services have descended onto the scene.

TWITTER Gunfire has also been heard

In the immediate aftermath taxis are said to have been ferrying the injured away from the scene to get medical help. Footage shows scores of ambulances rushing towards Turkey's largest airport, and all emergency services have descended onto the scene.

Saldiri ani 2 pic.twitter.com/T5fAKKjv0Y — Oguzcan Aksoy (@Oguz146) June 28, 2016

Some flights to the airport have been forced to be diverted, while scheduled departures have been suspended. The British Airways flight BA680 from Heathrow to Ataturk, due to land at 11.40pm local time, returned back to the UK. A BA spokesman said: "We had one flight to Ataturk airport that has turned around and is coming back to London Gatwick.

REUTERS Flights have been suspended at the airport

"We don't have any other services scheduled today and we will keep the situation under review Passengers have been tansferred to nearby hotels, a Turkish airline official said. Facebook has activiated its safety check feature following the attack.

EPA Police swarmed the area after the explosions

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are in close contact with authorities in Istanbul and urgently seeking further information following an incident at Ataturk airport. "Our staff in Istanbul and London stand ready to support any British nationals affected."

REUTERS Multiple people have been injured in the attack

EPA Victims lay strewn across the ground outside the airport

So far, no group has officially claimed responsibility for the deadly attack. Turkey has been rocked by explosions this year, with two suicide attacks taking part in tourist areas of the capital, with Islamic State (ISIS) claiming responsibility.

REUTERS Attackers reportedly opened fire

A Kurdish militant group was behind two car bombings in the capital, Ankara. The tragedy comes months after Brussels airport and metro was attacked by extremists, killing 32. Washington condemned the terror attack in a statement.

GETTY One survivor being rushed to hospital

GETTY People flee the scene at Ataturk Airport

A spokesman for Heathrow Airport, which has several daily flights to Istanbul, said: "The safety and security of our passengers and colleagues is our highest priority. "We are closely monitoring the ongoing situation at Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport and are working with our airline partners to determine what effect this may have on flights. "We ask passengers travelling to Istanbul to first check their flight status with their airline."

GOOGLE The airport is in the Turkish capital

David Cameron described the terrorist attack as "hideous". The Prime Minister said Britain will continue to work with the other countries on "keeping our countries safe, keeping our people safe - and it's particularly important to say that tonight again when there has been another hideous terrorist attack in Turkey". Philip Hammond also said he was "shocked by the attack". The foreign secretary said: “Thoughts are with those affected. We stand ready to help."

REUTERS Trump called on Americans to make the US safe in the wake of the attacka

Donald Trump also issued a statement on the attack to condemn the terrorists and call on Americans to make the US safe. The presumptive Republican nominee said: “Our prayers are with the families of those killed and injured in Istanbul. The whole world is stunned and horrified. “The terrorist threat has never been greater. Our enemies are brutal and ruthless and will do anything to murder those who do not bend to their will. “We must take steps now to protect America from terrorists, and do everything in our power to improve our security to keep America safe.”