President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned the Tuesday's terror attacks in Istanbul Atatürk Airport that killed at least 41 people and injured 239 others, urging the western countries to show a firmer stance against terrorism.
"The attack which took place in holy Ramadan month showed that terrorists target innocent civilians indiscriminatingly. The attack's only aim is to undermine Turkey by shedding blood and causing pain," Erdoğan said in a written statement released late Tuesday.
The president said that Turkey expects the governments, parliaments, media and civil society organizations around the world, West in particular, to show a decisive stance against terrorism.
"Despite paying a heavy price, Turkey has the power, determination and capacity to continue the fight against terrorism until the end. Today's attack targeted 79 million Turkish citizens along with 7.5 billion human beings around the world."
"Make no mistake, for terror groups, there are no differences between Istanbul, London, Berlin, Ankara or Chicago. Unless all government and the entire mankind join forces in the fight against terrorism, much worse things than what we fear to imagine today will come true." Erdoğan said.
Erdoğan said the Atatürk Airport attack should serves as a turning point in the fight against terrorism around the world and especially in Western countries, offered condolences to Turkish nation and to the families of victims and wished a quick recovery for those who were injured in the attack.
Three suicide attackers killed 41 people, including 13 foreigners, at the airport, Turkish officials said Wednesday, with Daesh the prime suspect in the carnage and panic at the global transit hub.
Among the dead were 23 Turks, while 239 people were injured in the attack, Istanbul Governor Vasip Şahin said. The foreign nationals include: five from Saudi Arabia; two Iraqis; and one each from Tunisia, Uzbekistan, China, Iran, Ukraine and Jordan.
The airport, one of the largest in the region, was shut for several hours after the brutal attack. Planes had begun landing just before dawn, and the first departures took off in the morning hours, as the airport resumed operations.
Turkey declared Wednesday a day of national mourning over the attack while the government has ordered flags at half-staff.
