PHOTO -ANADOLU
AMN
Two Indian were among 39 people killed in an armed attack at during New Year’s celebrations at an Istanbul nightclub. According to the Turkish interior minister 69 people have also injured in the attack
The attack, in the city’s Ortakoy area on the European side of the Bosphorus, took place at around 1:15 a.m. in the Reina nightclub where hundreds were gathered to welcome the New Year.
Turkey’s Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said 16 of the 21 identified victims are foreign and five Turkish, according to Anadolu news agency, with the minister noting the assailant remains on the run.
“15 of the victims are foreigners while the other five are Turkish citizens,” the minister said, adding that efforts continue to identify the other bodies.
Soylu stated security forces were hunting down the terrorist, saying, “Our law enforcement has launched an operation. We hope he or she will be caught before long.”
Health Minister Recep Akdag told reporters, after he and Soylu visited some of the wounded people at a hospital, that 65 people were in several hospitals, receiving treatment.
“Four of those injured are in a critical condition,” Akdag said, adding that a large number of foreign nationals were also injured.
Turkish Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya said there were Saudi Arabian, Moroccan, Lebanese, Libyan nationals among the attack victims, along with several other foreign nationals.
“Many of those foreign nationals came to Turkey numerous times. They know about Turkey. We have victims who are Turkish nationals as well but many of those victims were foreign nationals,” she said.
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu shared a message via his Twitter account, and said “terrorism aims to attack our unity.”
Meanwhile Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday said Turkey will continue to fight against terrorism and its backers “till the end.”
Erdogan has issued a written message following the armed terror attack at an Istanbul nightclub early Sunday, which killed at least 39 people including a police officer and injured 69 others.
President Erdogan said the “vicious attack” in Istanbul clearly showed that terror does not discriminate but “aims to hurt and kill.”
“Turkey is firm on doing whatever it takes to protect its citizens’ safety and peace in the region,” the president said. “Turkey will stand together and not give passage to dirty games of terrorists.”
The president added that those who attack people’s peace aim to “create chaos.”
“I offer my condolences to our citizens’, to our foreign guests’ and to our security officer’s families and wish a speedy recovery to those injured,” Erdogan said. “We are dedicated to eradicate attacks and threats to our country.”
The attack comes three weeks after twin bombings in Istanbul killed at least 45 people, most of whom were police officers.