US Without ‘Actionable Intelligence’ Before Terror Attack in Turkey - DoS

The United States did not have credible, actionable intelligence on an imminent threat before the terrorist attack at the Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, US Department of State deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said in a briefing Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — On Tuesday evening, three suicide blasts rocked the international terminal of Istanbul's Ataturk international airport, leaving at least 41 dead and 239 injured.

"We [United States] did not have imminent or actionable intelligence," Toner stated when asked if they possess information on potential threats before the terrorist attack at the Istanbul airport.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that three suicide bombers participated in the attack. Initial indications suggest that Daesh is responsible for the terrorist attack, though the investigation is still underway, Yildirim said at a press conference Wednesday.

Following the blasts, the Istanbul airport was totally evacuated and closed. Hundreds of flights were canceled. However, Yildirim, who attended the scene of events, said later that the airport had resumed its air traffic in a normal mode. Russia’s flagship airline Aeroflot canceled flights to and from Istanbul's Ataturk international airport on Wednesday.