41 Dead In Istanbul Airport Attack; Turkish Government Blames Islamic State

Suicide attackers armed with guns and bombs killed 41 people and wounded hundreds at Istanbul's busy Ataturk Airport, apparently targeting Turkey's crucial tourism industry. The government blamed the attack on Islamic State extremists but there was no immediate confirmation from the group.

Scenes of chaos and panic unfolded Tuesday night as gunfire and explosions on two different floors sent crowds fleeing first in one direction, then another.

Airport surveillance video posted on social media appeared to show one explosion, a ball of fire that sent terrified passengers racing for safety. Another appeared to show an attacker, felled by a gunshot from a security officer, blowing himself up seconds later.

Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson gets the latest from NPR's Dina Temple-Raston.

The Associated Press contributed reporting to this article.

Dina Temple-Raston, NPR counterterrorism correspondent. She tweets @NPRDina.