ISTANBUL/ANKARA — At least 39 people, including many foreigners, died in the shooting, open unknown man at the visitors filled new year’s eve night club in Istanbul that authorities called a terrorist attack.
An armed man around 01.15 local time (coincides with Moscow) shot and killed a police officer and a civilian, then went to the Reina club, opened fire inside the building. The club is located on the banks of the Bosphorus in Ortakoy.
Some eyewitnesses say that the attackers were few, but the power is not yet confirmed.
According to the Minister of internal Affairs of Turkey Suleyman Soylu, identified 21 of the body 15 or 16 of the dead were foreigners. In hospital there are 69 people, four of them in critical condition.
“There is a wanted terrorist. Police began the operation. I hope that soon we catch the assailant,” said Soylu.
Turkey in July survived a coup attempt and a series of explosions, including in Ankara and Istanbul, in which vinyl ultrarightists “Islamic state”, which is fighting in Syria, or Kurdish rebels opposing the government inside the country.
The Governor of Istanbul Wasip Sahin told reporters that the shooter “cruel and crazy” dealt with people who “just came to celebrate the new year and to have fun.”
According to CNN Turk, in the time of the attack at the club could be about 500-600 people. Some escaped by jumping into the Bosphorus.
Reina is one of the most popular clubs of Istanbul like locals and among foreigners.
Turkey is part of the US-led coalition to combat ultrarightists “Islamic state” in Syria and Iraq and is fighting against Kurdish rebels in its Southeast.
