Turkish police have detained 13 people, including three foreigners, in connection with the triple suicide bombing at Istanbul's main airport which killed 42 people, a Turkish official said on Thursday.

Police conducted simultaneous raids on 16 places in Istanbul, the official told Reuters.

Three bombers opened fire to create panic outside the airport on Tuesday night, before two of them got inside and blew themselves up. Two hundred and thirty-nine people were wounded, officials said.