DFA: No reported Filipino casualties in Turkey attack

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that there have been no reports of Filipino casualties in the attack at the Istanbul Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey.

Acting DFA Secretary Jose Almendras said in a telephone interview with CNN Philippines that the country's embassy in Turkey said that everyone is accounted for.

Philippine officials are monitoring hospitals in the area, Almendras said.

The DFA is still evaluating if it will issue a travel warning after the attack and Almendras noted that there may be Filipino tourists in Turkey who have not yet been accounted for.

"I would really encourage Filipinos if they are going to live outside the country for whatever purpose it would really be a lot better if they registered themselves to the embassy.  A lot of Filipinos in some areas... the number of registered Filipino is only 50 percent of the actual number there," Almendras said.

Turkey's Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag says at least 31 people have been killed and some 147 wounded in the attack on Istanbul's Ataturk airport.

Another senior government official says the death toll could climb much higher.

The senior official at first said close to 50 people had already died, but later said that the figure was expected to rise to close to 50.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government protocol, also said all initial indications suggest the Islamic State group was behind the attack. — with reports from Associated Press