Terror strikes at the heart of Istanbul

The horrific attack on Ataturk International Airport aimed to cripple Turkey’s economy

The horrific attack on Ataturk International Airport aimed to cripple Turkey’s economy. Sedat Suna / EPA

Istanbul’s main international airport was hit by a triple suicide bombing late on Tuesday. This heinous attack on Europe’s third busiest airport has already claimed the lives of 41 people and that number may well climb in coming days. No group has yet taken responsibility but, according to Turkish prime minister Binali Yildirim, all indications are that ISIL militants are to blame. The UAE has, quite rightly, condemned the attack.

We must stand with the Turkish people in their period of grieving. These attackers, whatever their allegiance, have cynically attempted to upend the way we all live and travel. They have specifically targeted the Turkish economy in the hopes of crippling the country at the height of the tourism season.

This suicide bombing has not happened in a vacuum. Turkey has been hit by a wave of terrorism in recent months. Kurdish militants attacked government ministries in the capital city of Ankara in March, killing hundreds. A Kurdish group targeted Istanbul’s second international airport last December. The Turkish-Syrian border is still largely lawless and a war is raging in south-eastern Turkey between the army and Kurdish separatists. ISIL has also carried out attacks against foreigners in the heart of Istanbul’s commercial and tourist areas. All of this violence has unfolded against the backdrop of Syrian refugees flowing into Turkey.

There is, however, something different about the bombing of Istanbul’s main airport. The impressive rise of Turkish Airlines over the past decade – to the point where it is now one of the world’s most connected airlines – has been a source of pride and economic growth. Given the airline’s impressive number of destinations (the most of any carrier on the planet), Istanbul’s main international airport is now a global hub, where people from every corner converge.

The extremists who carried out this barbaric act sought to destroy that achievement and sink Turkey’s economy. We will soon know exactly who carried out this attack and there will be familiar questions about airport security, along with suggested ways to improve it. There is also the possibility of renewed anti-immigrant sentiment after this attack, and it must be rejected.

One thing is for certain:Turkey is on the front line in the global battle against extremism. The attack in Istanbul this week is an attack on the international community and we will only defeat these extremists through unity and cooperation.