Turkish Security Hailed for Saving Many Lives in Airport Attack

Security quickly converged on the attackers while shepherding thousands of passengers, staff and visitors to safety Tuesday night

Witnesses and experts praised Turkish security forces — and one still-unidentified officer who gave his own life — for their composed, professional handling of Tuesday's terrorist attack on the main airport in Istanbul, which killed 41 people and injured scores.

Authorities at Ataturk International Airport, the third busiest in Europe and the 11th busiest in the world, quickly converged on the attackers while shepherding thousands of passengers, staff and visitors to safety Tuesday night.

Mohamed Ali, who told national broadcaster TRT that he was traveling from Zurich, Switzerland, to Aqaba, Jordan, said authorities calmly and swiftly conducted him and about 200 other people out of the airport from the area of their gate.

"Everything was under control," he said. "They were very polite."

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