Istanbul airport attackers identified as Russia, Uzbek and Kyrgyz nationals

The three militants who carried out the Istanbul airport attack have been identified as nationals of Russia, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, according to the Turkish government.

Senior Turkish officials cited the home nations of the attackers but did not immediately release their names or other details.

There has been no claim of responsibility, but Turkish officials have said they believe the Islamic State was behind the carnage at Ataturk Airport, reports the Washington Post.

In one of the deadliest attacks in Turkey, three suicide bombers attacked the arrivals hall and a nearby parking lot with gunfire and explosives, killing 44 people and leave 239 others wounded at the Ataturk Airport.

Many of the victims killed in the attacks were foreign nationals of Saudi, Iraq, Tunisia, China, Iran, Ukrain, Jordan and Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan has faced occasional attacks by Islamist militants since the 1990s, and Kyrgyzstan recently launched crackdowns on suspected Islamic State recruitment.

Russia's Dagestan region - alleged home of the third attacker - has been caught up in clashes between Russian forces and Islamist fighters since the late 1990s.