By Diana Arrey
Update.direct, Instanbu, Turkey, January 01, 2017…….Reports from Istanbul say A gunman reportedly dressed in a Santa costume killed at least 39 people, including 16 foreigners, at one of Turkey’s famous nightclub in Istanbul during New Year’s Eve celebrations. Armed with a long-barrelled weapon, the attacker shot a police officer before storming the elite Reina club in the Ortakoy area of the city at about 1.45am.
“Unfortunately (he) rained bullets in a very cruel and merciless way on innocent people who were there to celebrate New Year’s and have fun,” Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin said, describing the carnage as a “terror attack”.
Amongst those killed are Israeli, Moroccans, Libyans, Lebanese and Saudis nationals.,according to Turkish family minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, quoted by a Turkish news agency. Three Lebanese citizens were also reported wounded, including the daughter of a member of parliament, according to the Lebanese foreign ministry.
The Owner of Reiner explained to Dogan private news agency that, despite great security measures by police which included tents at key locations with a 24-hour police presence and complementary efforts by the coast guard at sea, “unfortunately, this painful event took place.”
Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu has described the incident as a massacre and a truly inhuman savagery. He said the gunman was still at large. “The search for the terrorist continues, our security forces have started the necessary operations. God willing he will be caught
Istanbul Rener Nightclub attack
in a short period of time.”
Raising the death toll to 39, Mr Soylu said that of 21 victims, who had been identified so far, 16 were foreigners and five were Turks. Another 69 people were being treated in hospital for their wounds. It is not known if any British nationals were among the casualties.
Pope Francis has condemned the attack during an address in St Peter’s Square in Rome.
During his New Year’s Day Angelus address, he offered prayers for the victims and their families.
Departing from his prepared text, Pope Francis said: “Deeply saddened, I express my closeness to the Turkish people, I pray for the many victims and the injured and for the whole nation in mourning, and I ask the Lord to support all people of good will who courageously roll up their sleeves to face the plague of terrorism and the bloody stain that envelops the world with a shadow of fear and bewilderment.”
There were believed to be more than 500 people in the club at the time. Many party-goers threw themselves into the Bosphorus in panic after the attack and efforts were underway to rescue them from the waters, NTV television said.
The whereabouts of the attacker was still unknown and some reports suggested there were multiple attackers.
Some witnesses claimed the attackers were “speaking Arabic”, according to Dogan news agency.
Suiveillance footage showed the gunman spraying bullets outside the club before entering. Another CCTV image is believed to show the attacker changing his jacket as he walks around inside the club.
As ambulances carried the wounded to hospitals, police in riot gear and machine guns backed up by armored vehicles blocked the area around the club.
New Year partygoers – including men in suits and women in cocktail dresses – were seen emerging from the nightclub in a state of shock.
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