Istanbul Attackers From Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan: Reports

A Turkish official says the Istanbul airport suicide attackers were from Russia, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

The unnamed official quoted by Turkish and Western media on June 30 did not disclose further details.

The announcement comes shortly after Turkish police said they had detained 13 people including three foreigners in connection with the June 28 attack that left 43 dead and more than 230 injured.

Authorities blamed the Islamic State extremist group for the June 28 attack on one of the world’s busiest airports.

The pro-government Yeni Safak newspaper said the Russian bomber was from Daghestan, which borders restive Chechnya.

The Kyrgyz security service declined to comment, while the Uzbek security service could not immediately be reached.

In separate large-scale police operations, nine suspects believed to be linked to IS were also detained in the coastal city of Izmir. It was not clear if the suspects had any links to the carnage at the airport.

Separately, security forces killed two suspected IS militants at the border with Syria, Turkish media reported on June 30.

The Anadolu Agency, citing unnamed security sources, says the two Syrian nationals were killed on June 25 while trying to cross the border illegally and ignored security forces warnings to stop.

One of the two militants was wanted by Turkey on suspicion that he would carry out suicide attacks in the capital, Ankara, or in the southern city of Adana, Anadolu said.

Source: rferl.org