Several foreigners including many nationals of Arab countries were among the dead, officials said on Sunday.
AFP have put together a breakdown of the nationality of the dead and wounded known so far given by their respective countries.
Saudi Arabia – Riyadh’s consulate in Istanbul said that Saudis were among the victims, but gave no figures. The Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper however quoted a consulate source as saying that five Saudis including two women had died and 11 other people were injured. Al-Arabiya television also spoke of five dead and nine wounded.
Jordan – The foreign ministry in Amman said three Jordanians were killed and four injured, the official Petra news agency reported.
Iraq – A spokesman for Iraq’s foreign ministry said that three Iraqis died in the attack.
Lebanon – The Lebanese foreign ministry announced the death of three Lebanese and said another four were wounded. “I was saved by my passport which I was carrying right near my heart,” one of the injured, Francois al-Asmar, told Lebanese television from his hospital bed.
Tunisia – The Tunisian foreign ministry said on its Facebook page that two Tunisians died, with media reports saying the victims were a businessman and his wife.
India – India’s external affairs minister said two nationals were among the dead, naming them as Abis Rizvi, the son of a former MP, and a woman, Khushi Shah.
Israel – The Israeli foreign ministry said a young Arab Israeli woman, 18-year-old Lian Nasser, had died.
Belgium – Belgium’s foreign ministry confirmed that a man in his 20s, a Belgian-Turkish dual national, was killed.
France – Paris said a French-Tunisian dual national woman had died along with her Tunisian husband. It was not immediately known if they were among the dead listed by Tunis. Another three French people were injured, the foreign ministry said.
Libya – One Libyan was killed and three others hurt in the attack, according to the north African country’s foreign ministry.
Morocco – Three Moroccans were wounded, the MAP news agency quoted the embassy in Ankara as saying.
Hello, Nicola Slawson here in London, taking over from Jamie. Here’s an update from our correspondent, Kareem Shaheen, in Istanbul:
One important question that has been raised is how the assailant managed to escape even though the police response was quite swift to the attack, since there is a police station just across the street from Reina. There are over 300 security cameras in the club and the surrounding area so investigators are combing through security cam footage. One theory, believed by some who have seen some of the footage, is that the attacker, who left his gun at the scene, may have pretended to be an injured civilian in the immediate aftermath and chaos.
Evening summary
- A manhunt is on for an attacker who shot dead 39 people and wounded 69 others during a New Year’s Eve celebration at an upmarket Istanbul nightclub. Turkish officials said it was a lone gunman but some survivors described seeing multiple attackers.
-
A Turkish opposition MP said at least 24 of those killed were foreign nationals, higher than the 15 cited by Turkish interior minister Suleyman Soylu. CHP MP said 11 Turks, seven Saudi Arabians, three Iraqis, two Lebanese, two Tunisian, two Indian and a Kuwaiti, a Syrian, and an Israelis are among the dead. A Belgian citizen who is originally Turkish, and a Canadian-Iraqi were also killed, she said. The Jordanian foreign ministry said three of its citizens were killed.
-
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Reina club,which is thought to have had up to 600 people inside at the time. The club is an exclusive hotspot popular with tourists and local residents that sits on the bank of the eastern side of the Bosphorus.
- President Tayyip Erdoğan said Turkey would “fight to the end” against all forms of terrorism. He accused the perpetrators of trying to “create chaos, demoralise our people, and destabilise our country”.
-
Witnesses reported a rush for the exits, bodies lying on the floor and people jumping into the water to escape the gunman. One survivor said the gunman shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest) during the attack.
- There has been condemnation from across the world with the US State Department describing it as “heinous” and Barack Obama offering his condolences. The Russian president Vladimir Putin said it was “hard to imagine a more cynical crime” and Pope Francis said he was praying for the victims.
-
Leanne Nasser, 19, from the Israeli-Arab town of Tira Nasser was killed while celebrating with three friends. Her friend Ruaa Mansour, also 18, was moderately wounded in the attack. The other two friends were unharmed. A Lebanese man, Haykal Musallem, was at the club with his wife of five months when he was killed, a friend said. A security guard at the club, Fatih Çakmak, Turkish police officer, Burak Yildiz, 22, and 47-year-old travel agent Ayhan Arik, were also reportedly killed. Çakmak reportedly survived twin bombings outside a football stadium in Istanbul on 10 December, which killed 45 people.
- Mehmet Görmez, Turkey’s most senior cleric, has condemned the attack as “savagery” and a “massacre that no Muslim conscience can accept”.
- Conservative politicians and media who criticised the concept of New Year celebrations have come under scrutiny in the wake of the attack. An opposition politician called for those responsible for “messages which can damage our social peace” to resign.
Updated
France’s foreign minister says one French citizen was killed and three others wounded in the New Year’s shooting attack at a crowded Istanbul nightclub, AP reports.
Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said in a statement that a woman with both French and Tunisian citizenship died in the attack early Sunday.
Ayrault says the woman’s Tunisian husband also died.
Due to the presence of French citizens among the casualties, the Paris prosecutor’s office says it has opened a criminal investigation for “terrorist murders and attempted murders.”
An assailant opened fire at the Reina nightclub during New Year’s celebrations, killing at least 39 people.
Turkish authorities said foreigners from “many different nationalities” are among the wounded in the attack.
French President Francois Hollande says in a statement that France “will pitilessly pursue the fight” against terrorism with its allies.
Hi, Jamie Grierson in London here, taking over from Haroon. Here’s some updated advice from the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). A brief statement on the department’s website reads:
On 1 January 2017, there was an attack on the Reina nightclub in Ortakoy, Istanbul, causing a large number of casualties. There is an ongoing police operation in Istanbul as a result of the attack, and the attacker may still be at large. You should exercise vigilance and caution at this time, and follow the advice and instructions of the security authorities.
Charbel Wardini, from Lebanon, told AP that his 26-year-old brother, Elias, was among those killed in the attack.
He said:
I lost my brother because of terrorism. If you tell me terrorism, I will go fight against them.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said seven Lebanese were wounded in the attack.
Lebanon’s foreign ministry reported earlier that the daughter of member of parliament Estephan El Douaihy was among those injured.
The Lebanese government plans to send a jet to Istanbul on Sunday night with a medical team and relatives of the wounded in order to bring them back to Beirut.
The foreign ministry in Amman has said three Jordanians were killed and four injured, the official Petra news agency reported.
At the forensic institute in Istanbul, Kareem Shaheen spoke to Stephanie Deek, a Lebanese woman whose friend was with her husband, Haykal Musallem, at Reina when the attack happened. Musallem was killed.
Deek said:
They were just tourists, married for five months, and they wanted to find the perfect place to spend New Year’s Eve.
She said when the attack happened the husband was in the bathroom and the wife at the table. She ran out when the shooting started but the husband was caught in the midst of the attack and died.
Deek tried to contact them as soon as she heard of the attack, and was there to try and identify the body but had to wait outside and was visibly agitated. She said:
I’m feeling so sad. I can’t even talk or express my feelings.
'24 foreigners killed' - Turkish MP
Selina Dogan, a CHP [the main opposition party] MP who toured the hospitals and the morgue, said 11 Turks, 24 foreign nationals and four whose nationality has yet to be ascertained were killed in the attack.
She said the nationalities of the dead included Saudi Arabian (seven) Iraqi (three), Lebanese (two), Tunisian (two) Indian (two) and one each from Kuwait, Syria, and Israel. A Belgian citizen who is originally Turkish, and a Canadian-Iraqi were also killed.
One of the Kuwaiti wounded told visitors that the assailant was shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest).
The survivors they spoke to all said there were multiple assailants, although Turkish authorities have said there was a lone attacker, and some said they were in contact with each other on walkie talkies.
All of the dead had gun wounds caused by a Kalashnikov assault rifle. Of the dead, 25 are men and 14 women. Eleven bodies have already been handed over to their families for burial.
Two of the dead are believed to be Saudi twins but they haven’t been formally identified yet.
Five Saudi citizens were killed in the attack and 10 more injured, according to the al-Riyhadh website (Arabic link), quoting the country’s acting consul general in Istanbul.
Another Lebanese man, Haykal Mousallem, was killed in the attack, his relatives have told Reuters.
Earlier, the family of Elias Wardini told Lebanon’s New TV that they had been officially informed of his death.
Lebanon’s National News Agency said several other Lebanese nationals were wounded in the attack.
Turkish media say the victims of the attack include a police officer and a travel agent, AP reports.
State-run Anadolu news agency reported that the body of 22-year-old police officer Burak Yildiz was en route to his hometown in the southern city of Mersin. Yildiz, who had been on the force for one-and-a-half years, was shot and killed outside the Reina nightclub.
Private Dogan news agency reports that 47-year-old travel agent Ayhan Arik, a father of two, was another of the first victims of the early morning attack. The news agency says the gunman shot Arik in the head outside the club.
The Turkish prime minister has also said the reports that the attacker was dressed as Santa Claus are untrue.
Turkish Prime Minister @BA_Yildirim denies report #Istanbul shooter was dressed as Santa. Attacker left weapon at scene pic.twitter.com/0MtTCNkitJ
— Ilån Bεn Zıon (@IlanBenZion) January 1, 2017
Turkish authorities are starting to uncover evidence about the attack on the Reina nightclub but there is no clarity yet on who was responsible, Turkish prime minister Binali Yildirim said. When asked by reporters who might have been behind it, he answered:
Some details have started emerging, but the authorities are working towards a concrete result.
Police and security officials will share information as it becomes available during the investigation.
Summary
- Israeli, Lebanese, Libyan, Moroccan, and Saudi Arabian citizens were among 39 people killed when a gunman opened fire in an Istanbul nightclub during a New Year’s Eve celebration, Turkish authorities said. Another 69 people were injured. At least 15 of the dead are believed to be foreign nationals.
-
Interior minister Süleyman Soylu said that the gunman was still on the run, contrary to earlier statements by authorities that the assailant had been killed.
- No one has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Reina club, which is thought to have had up to 600 people inside at the time. The club is an exclusive hotspot popular with tourists and local residents that sits on the bank of the western side of the Bosphorus.
- President Tayyip Erdoğan said Turkey would “fight to the end” against all forms of terrorism. He accused the perpetrators of trying to “create chaos, demoralise our people, and destabilise our country”.
- The city’s governor, Vasip Sahin, said the attacker, armed with a long-barrelled weapon, killed a policeman and a civilian outside the Reina club at about 1.45am before moving inside. Video footage showed an apparent assailant dressed in black, in contradiction to a report suggesting he was wearing a Santa Claus costume.
-
Witnesses reported a rush for the exits, bodies lying on the floor and people jumping into the water to escape the gunman. The club’s owner said extra security measures had been brought in in the past 10 days after US intelligence reports suggested a possible attack on crowded places in the city.
- There has been condemnation from across the world with the US State Department describing it as “heinous” and Barack Obama offering his condolences. The Russian president Vladimir Putin said it was “hard to imagine a more cynical crime” and Pope Francis said he was praying for the victims.
- Leanne Nasser, 19, from the Israeli-Arab town of Tira Nasser was killed while celebrating with three friends. Her friend Ruaa Mansour, also 18, was moderately wounded in the attack. The other two friends were unharmed.
- Mehmet Görmez, Turkey’s most senior cleric, has condemned the attack as “savagery” and a “massacre that no Muslim conscience can accept”.
- Conservative politicians and media who criticised the concept of New Year celebrations have come under scrutiny in the wake of the attack. An opposition politician called for those responsible for “messages which can damage our social peace” to resign.
Updated
The family of a Lebanese citizen who went missing after an attack in a nightclub in Istanbul said they have received news he was among those killed, Lebanon’s New TV reported.
The channel said the family had been officially informed of Elias Wardini’s death.
These pictures show flowers left at the scene of the attack.
Some of the marginal newspapers with a very conservative following like Akit and Milli Gazete published front page features yesterday on NYE celebrations. In Milli the headline was: “This is the last warning, don’t celebrate”.
In Akit, the front page said “Down with your civilisation”, with pictures side by side of people in Syria and people partying.
An influential CHP deputy from Istanbul, Gursel Tekin, said at the hospital:
In the coming days we should be talking about this - in the last week there were so many messages which can damage our social peace but none of these messages were investigated. Those responsible should resign.
Günlerdir yılbaşı kutlamalarını hedef gösteren #Akit İstanbul #Reina katliamı sonrası bu manşetle çıktı: Medeniyetiniz batsın. pic.twitter.com/jF5TlFcSe5
— DirenÜniversite (@DirenUniversite) January 1, 2017
This is a list of terrorist attacks in Turkey since the summer of 2015, via the New York Times:
List of terrorist attacks in Turkey since summer 2015, including 5 on Istanbul over the past year. Source: New York Times pic.twitter.com/YLPtKeDIhi
— Monica Marks (@MonicaLMarks) January 1, 2017
This is the scene at Sisli Etfal hospital where wounded and survivors were taken last night.
There are few families as the nightclub is a known destination for foreigners, so many of the casualties do nOt have family here. Many roads in the city are closed off as they search for the attackers.
There are two foreigners at the hospital who are wounded and in a critical condition. There is also a wounded Turkish man who was shot in his spine and is getting psychological support and treatment.
Opposition CHP lawmaker Akif Hamzacebe described the assault as an “attack on a way of life” and and said it was “savage”.
“The aim is to plant seeds of hatred among society,” he said. “We do not want to live with the acceptance of terror and the state should teach a lesson to the terrorist organisations.”
It is important to note that many conservatives prior to the attack were decrying the sinfulness of NYE celebrations and so some people see the attack as notable from a cultural point of view, hence the comment about it being an attack on a way of life, almost an attack on Turkey’s secular character.
An MHP lawmaker who visited the hospital described the dead as “martyrs”.
“Those who committed this action against the stability of the Turkish state will drown in their own blood,” he said.
The Reina nightclub has long been a magnet to the rich and famous, my colleague Robert Booth writes:
Open since 2002, the venue on the banks of the Bosphorus has earned a reputation as the place to be seen among Turkey’s young, secular elite who recline on its white banquettes and are served ice buckets of drinks by aproned waiters.
It attracts footballers from the top Turkish sides and stars from the country’s popular soap operas, as well as tourists and businesspeople from around the world. Daniel Craig, Kylie Minogue, Naomi Watts and Jon Bon Jovi are among the celebrities named as having been guests at the club, according to GC Prive, a London wealth management company that recommends the venue to its clients.
The funeral of Ayhan Arik, one of the victims of the attack at the Reina nightclub, has been taking place in Istanbul. Arik reportedly drove tourists to the club. Islamic custom is to bury people as soon as possible after their death.
Relatives react at the funeral of Ayhan Arik, a victim of an attack by a gunman at Reina nightclub, in Istanbul, Turkey, 1 January, 2017 Photograph: Osman Orsal/Reuters
This video shows bullets ricocheting outside the Reina nightclub and a man who appears to be the attacker. It suggests that reports that the attacker was wearing a Santa Claus suit are wrong, as he appears to be dressed all in black.
Bullets ricochet outside #Reina nightclub where dozens were killed by gunman at New Year's Eve party in Istanbulhttps://t.co/WRiSlgmTev pic.twitter.com/Bty3lfncxT
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) January 1, 2017
A number of people have said that the attack on the nightclub came amid criticism in Turkey of New Year’s celebrations from some who consider them incompatible with Islam.
I condemn the terrorists who murdered innocents in #Reina AND the fanatics who have been spreading #hatespeech against #NewYear celebrations
— Elif Şafak / Shafak (@Elif_Safak) January 1, 2017
After #Reina attack, HDP expresses worry due to politicians targeting New Year celebrations & Religious Directorate calling it incompatible.
— Aylina Kılıç (@AylinaKilic) January 1, 2017
A banner in #Istanbul few days ago: 'We are Muslims. No to New Years Eve and Christmas celebrations.' #Reina pic.twitter.com/HKamfr3Syu
— andreas korinov (@andreaskorinov) January 1, 2017
In his traditional New Year address, Pope Francis has urged leaders to work together to fight the “plague of terrorism” in the wake of events in Turkey.
Speaking to 50,000 people in St. Peter’s Square, Francis departed from his prepared text to condemn the Istanbul nightclub attack that killed at least 39 people. He said:
Unfortunately, violence has stricken even in this night of good wishes and hope. Pained, I express my closeness to the Turkish people. I pray for the many victims and for the wounded and for the entire nation in mourning.
I ask the Lord to sustain all men of good will to courageously roll up their sleeves to confront the plague of terrorism and this stain of blood that is covering the world with a shadow of fear and a sense of loss.
The pro-Kurdish HDP, Turkey’s third largest party, has condemned the Istanbul attack:
Pro-Kurdish #HDP party condemns Istanbul #Reina nightclub attack, calling it an attack made with enmity against humanity. https://t.co/CvJx23NSfr
— Aylina Kılıç (@AylinaKilic) January 1, 2017
The US embassy in Turkey has sought to clarify the details of a travel warning it issued on 22 December, saying “it had no information about threats to specific entertainment venues, including the Reina club”, despite social media rumours to the contrary.
Clarification Regarding U.S. Government Public Security Messages pic.twitter.com/aBJwlzshrt
— US Embassy Turkey (@USEmbassyTurkey) January 1, 2017
Turkey’s top cleric has said there is no difference between a terrorist attack on a “place of worship or in an entertainment place”.
— Diyanet English (@diyanet_en) January 1, 2017
Saudi, Moroccan, Lebanese and Libyan nationals among victims
The Turkish family minister has said that Saudi Arabian, Moroccan, Lebanese and Libyan nationals were also among the victims of the attack
Israeli victim named
The Israeli foreign ministry has said that an Israeli woman was killed in the attack. She is Leanne Nasser, 19, from the Israeli-Arab town of Tira.
Nasser was celebrating with three friends at the Reina nightclub when the gunman broke in and opened fire. Her friend Ruaa Mansour, also 18, was moderately wounded in the attack. The other two friends were unharmed.
19-year-old Israeli Lian Nasser of Tira has been found dead. #Reina #Istanbul pic.twitter.com/5Yk49MZf1n
— Noga Tarnopolsky (@NTarnopolsky) January 1, 2017
Updated
The president of the European Commission has sent his condolences to Turkey.
Statement by @JunckerEU to @RT_Erdogan on the #terror attack in #Istanbul➡️https://t.co/ZdESfoGmY1 #Reina #Reinanightclub pic.twitter.com/5xHvFQBk6y
— EU NEAR (@eu_near) January 1, 2017
The UK government has updated its travel advice for Turkey in the wake of the attack.
It says:
On 1 January 2017, there was an attack on the Reina nightclub in Ortakoy, Istanbul, causing a large number of casualties. There is an ongoing police operation in Istanbul as a result of the attack, and the attacker may still be at large. You should exercise vigilance and caution at this time, and follow the advice and instructions of the security authorities.
Turkish website the Daily Sabah reports that a man killed in the attack at Reina nightclub had survived twin bombings outside a football stadium in Istanbul on 10 December, which killed 45 people.
It says that Fatih Çakmak was on duty at the nightclub during the New Year celebrations and was also working at the match between Beşiktaş and Bursaspor last month. He escaped the bombing, which occurred after the match ended, unharmed, according to the Daily Sabah only to die in last night’s attack.
Updated
Human Rights Watch executive director Kenneth Roth has tweeted a map showing the number of deaths from terrorist attacks in Turkey over the past 18 months (Istanbul is in the north-west corner):
The horrifying toll of terrorist attacks in Turkey over past year and a half. https://t.co/qG3II78IUM pic.twitter.com/uzwXxhSh2L
— Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) January 1, 2017
Unsurprisingly, there is still a heavy police presence at the scene of the atrocity.
#Istanbul terror attack: Road to #Reina nightclub blocked. Turkish flag hanging on building. The mood very grim. A terrible start to 2017 pic.twitter.com/AiK799dtTN
— Selin Girit (@selingirit) January 1, 2017
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has joined in the international condemnation of the attack in Turkey.
He said:
“It is hard to imagine a more cynical crime than the murder of innocent civilians in the midst of New Year’s holiday. But the terrorists are absolutely alien to the concept of human morality. Our common duty is to respond decisively to the terrorist aggression.”
Turkey will fight terrorism 'to the end' - Erdoğan
President Tayyip Erdoğan has vowed not to rest in the fight against all forms of terrorism. In a written statement, he said:
“As a nation, we will fight to the end against not just the armed attacks of terror groups and the forces behind them, but also against their economic, political and social attacks.
They are trying to create chaos, demoralise our people, and destabilise our country with abominable attacks which target civilians ... We will retain our cool-headedness as a nation, standing more closely together, and we will never give ground to such dirty games.”
Updated
There has been condemnation of the attack from around the world.
This is from the UK foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, who has Turkish ancestry but has lampooned President Erdoğan in the past
Thoughts with #Turkey after cowardly act of terrorism in #Istanbul nightclub attack. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our Turkish friends
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) January 1, 2017
The foreign ministry of neighbouring Greece said:
We unequivocally condemn the barbaric terrorist attack with numerous casualties that occurred in the nightclub in Istanbul. We express our full solidarity with the Turkish people and convey heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wishes of a speedy recovery to the injured.
And this is from Israel, which has already said that an Israeli woman was injured in the attack and that another is missing.
Our heart goes out to families & friends of the #Istanbul terror victims. Life will overcome terror. Light will overcome darkness. #Reina
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) January 1, 2017
I am going to hand over the blog now to my colleague, Haroon Siddique. Many thanks to our readers and I hope the blog has proved useful. There are still many details yet to emerge about the motivation behind the attack, the whereabouts of the assailant(s) and of course the details of the victims.
Below is a full report of where things stand at the moment.
Mehmet Dag, 22, was passing by the club at the time of the shooting. He says he saw the suspect shoot at a police officer and a bystander outside, before going in.
“I was in shock at the scene,” he said. “Once he went in, we don’t know what happened. There were gun sounds and after two minutes, the sound of an explosion.”
Israel’s foreign ministry has said that an Israeli woman was injured in the attack, and that another is missing.
“An Israeli woman was injured and hospitalised, but her life is not in danger, while there is no news of a second Israeli woman who was in the nightclub at the time of the attack,” a ministry spokesman told AFP.
Turkey is a popular tourist destination for Israelis, with tens of thousands visiting each year.
Summary
- At least 39 people have been killed, and 69 injured, in an Istanbul nightclub after a gunman reportedly dressed as Father Christmas entered and began firing at random during a New Year’s Eve celebration.
- Interior minister Süleyman Soylu said that of 21 victims identified so far, 15 were foreign nationals.
- Soylu said the gunman was still on the run, contrary to earlier statements by authorities that the assailant had been killed.
- The city’s governor, Vasip Sahin, said the attacker, armed with a long-barrelled weapon, killed a policeman and a civilian outside the Reina club at about 1.45am before moving inside.
- Sahin described it as a “terror attack” but gave no further details. There have not yet been any claims of responsibility.
- It is thought up to 600 people were inside the club, an exclusive hotspot popular with tourists and local residents that sits on the bank of the eastern side of the Bosphorus.
- Witnesses reported a rush for the exits, bodies lying on the floor and people jumping into the water to escape the gunman. The club’s owner said extra security measures had been brought in in the past 10 days after US intelligence reports suggested a possible attack.
- Security has been increased across the city following the mass shooting in the district of Ortakoy. The US embassy has told its citizens to avoid the area and urged them to contact relatives to let them know they are safe.
- The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has been quoted by state-run news agency Anadolu as expressing his “deep sadness”.
- Mehmet Görmez, Turkey’s most senior cleric, has condemned the attack as “savagery” and a “massacre that no Muslim conscience can accept”.
Updated
Mehmet Görmez, Turkey’s most senior cleric, has condemned the attack as “savagery, horrendous”.
“The action is a murder and a massacre,” he said. “Terror can never be accepted no matter by who or against whom it is committed.”
The only nuance, which differentiates the terrorist action committed tonight from others, is that it aims to divide the nation and confront people from differnet lifestyles by inciting them.
Today is the day to unite as the whole national against any kind of terror.
I strongly condemn the terrorists who committed this massacre that no Muslim conscience can accept. I wish mercy from Allah for the ones who lost their lives in the attack and speedy recovery for the injured.
Justice minister Bekir Bozdağ issued a statement earlier, saying: “No terrorist attack will break our unity.”
4)Hiçbir terör saldırısı;birliğimizi bozamayacak,kardeşliğimizi yok edemeyecek,Türkiye'nin terörle etkin mücadelesini zaafa uğraşamayacaktır
— Bekir Bozdağ (@bybekirbozdag) January 1, 2017
Koçarslan also mentions that the attacker was using “Kalashnikovs”. This would support other witness accounts that the gunman was using multiple weapons.
It is also the first detail that has emerged about the type of firearm used, other than Istanbul governor Vasip Sahin’s reference to the use of “a long-barrelled weapon”.
Turkish newspaper Hürriyet has quoted Mehmet Koçarslan, the owner of the Reina nightclub where the attack took place, as saying security measures had been brought in over the past 10 days after US intelligence reports suggested a possible attack.
Updated
A bit more background on Istanbul’s Reina club. The place is popular with Turkey’s young, secular elite and is one of the most prestigious nightspots in the city.
It is situated on the shores of the Bosphorus on the European side of the city and has a terrace that goes down to the water’s edge. The most wealthy patrons arrive in boats to enjoy its several restaurants and dancefloors. Its parties are well known on the social circuit.
Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg has issued his condolences. The US state department made in its response earlier a specific reference to Turkey as “our Nato ally” in the fight against terrorism.
Tragic start to 2017 in #Istanbul. My thoughts are w/ those affected by the attack on people celebrating New Year and w/ the Turkish people.
— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) January 1, 2017
The health minister, Recep Akdağ, has also spoken, indicating four of the 69 injured are in a “very serious condition” and that the wounded also included several foreigners.
Turkey’s interior minister has lowered the number of foreign nationals killed to 15. However, it is worth noting that there are still more than a dozen victims who have yet to be identified.
AP quotes Süleyman Soylu as saying of the five Turkish fatalities identified so far, three or four were believed to be employees working at the club. He says:
This was a massacre, a truly inhuman savagery.
He said it was believed the attacker left the club wearing different clothing to those in which he entered the club. It has been reported the attacker was wearing a Father Christmas outfit.
Soylu said the attacker was believed to have been acting alone. Previous witness reports have suggested there might have been more than one attacker. Authorities earlier said the gunman was killed on site, so details remain unclear, about eight hours after the attack took place.
The UK’s Foreign Commonwealth Office and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have said they are working to determine if any of their citizens are involved in Sunday morning’s attack.
Summary
- At least 39 people have been killed, and 69 injured, in an Istanbul nightclub after a gunman reportedly dressed as Father Christmas entered and began firing at random during a New Year’s Eve celebration.
- Interior minister Süleyman Soylu said that of 21 victims identified so far, 16 were foreign nationals.
- Soylu said the gunman was still on the run, contrary to earlier statements by authorities that the gunman had been killed.
- The city’s governor, Vasip Sahin, said the attacker, armed with a long-barrelled weapon, killed a policeman and a civilian outside the Reina club at about 1.45am before moving inside.
- Sahin described it as a “terror attack” but gave no further details. There have not yet been any claims of responsibility.
- It is thought up to 600 people were inside the club, an exclusive hotspot popular with tourists and local residents that sits on the bank of the eastern side of the Bosphorus.
- Witnesses reported a rush for the exits, bodies lying on the floor and people jumping into the water to escape the gunman.
- Security has been increased across the city following the attack in the district of Ortakoy. The US embassy has told its citizens to avoid the area and urged them to contact relatives to let them know they are safe.
- The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has been quoted by state-run news agency Anadolu as expressing his “deep sadness” over the attack
Updated
More quotes have come through from the interior minister, Süleyman Soylu:
Our security forces have started the necessary operations. God willing he will be caught in a short period of time.
Some images have come through giving a view from the Bosphorus on to the Reina nightclub, inside which security officers can be seen.
Updated
Soylu gave the figure of 16 foreigners dead after only 21 victims were identified. This means the nationalities of 18 more victims are yet to be established.
Attacker still at large, says interior minister
The interior minister, Süleyman Soylu, has said the attacker is still on the loose. Earlier government reports stated there was a lone gunman who was killed by police.
Soylu said the death toll was now at 39, with 16 of those being foreign nationals. He did not provide any information on their countries.
A further 69 people are being treated in hospitals across the city.
Interior minister: 16 foreigners among 39 dead
Agence France-Presse is reporting comments from the interior minister, saying that the death toll has risen to 39, including 16 foreigners.
Witness: party-goers 'walking on top of people' to escape
Professional footballer Sefa Boydas has told AFP how people fainted after they heard gunshots while others walked on top of people to escape the attack.
Boydas, who plays for Istanbul club Beylerbeyi SK, said he had only been in the club for about 10 minutes with two friends before he heard gunshots and his friend collapsed in shock.
Just as we were settling down, by the door there was a lot of dust and smoke. Gunshots rang out. When those sounds were heard, many girls fainted.
He said people appeared to be crushed as they ran away.
They say 35 to 40 died but it’s probably more because when I was walking, people were walking on top of people.”
He described the screams which he said drowned out anything said by the attacker or attackers. He uses the word “they”, which could support the notion that there was more than one assailant.
Even if there were shouting, you wouldn’t hear because the crowd’s screams were 100 times louder.”
Boydas initially tried to escape holding his friend but upon seeing her older sister faint, the footballer said his friend also passed out.
Our Middle East reporter Kareem Shaheen has filed this report from Istanbul.
He notes it is still unclear how many assailants were involved. While the authorities said one gunman entered the club and was later killed by police, witness testimony in Turkish media appeared to describe more than one attacker, heightening fears that at least one other gunman remained on the loose.
Summary
- At least 35 people have been killed, and about 40 injured, in an Istanbul nightclub after a gunman reportedly dressed as Santa Claus entered and began firing at random during a New Year’s Eve celebration
- The city’s governor, Vasip Sahin, said the attacker, armed with a long-barrelled weapon, killed a policeman and a civilian outside the Reina club at about 1.45am before moving inside.
- Sahin described it as a “terror attack” but gave no further details. There have not yet been any claims of responsibility.
- It is thought up to 600 people were inside the club, a hotspot popular with tourists and local residents that sits on the bank of the eastern side of the Bosphorus.
- Witnesses reported a rush for the exits, bodies lying on the floor and people jumping into the river to escape the gunman, who has been killed, according to a government spokesman.
- Security has been increased across the city following the attack in the district of Ortakoy. The US embassy has told its citizens to avoid the area and urged them to contact relatives to let them know they are safe.
- The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has been quoted by state-run news agency Anadolu as expressing his “deep sadness” over the attack
Updated
The US embassy in Turkey has urged US citizens to avoid the area – the district of Ortakoy – in the wake of the attack.
It said in a statement: “We strongly urge US citizens in Turkey to directly contact concerned family members in the United States to advise them of your safety.”
It is worth noting the club is popular with tourists as well as local residents. There is no word as yet on the nationalities of those who have been killed, or indeed an exact death toll.
The BBC is reporting a media blackout has been ordered by the Turkish government for security reasons.
Security measures had been heightened in major Turkish cities during what has been a year marked by terrorist attacks. In Istanbul, 17,000 police officers were on duty during this week’s festive celebrations. Some were camouflaged as Santa Claus and others as street vendors, state news agency Anadolu reported.
The state-run Anadolu news agency has quoted the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as expressing his “deep sadness” over the attack. He is getting regular updates on the investigation and the casualties from the prime minister, Binali Yıldırım.
Kareem Shaheen is reporting a huge security presence in the districts surrounding Ortakoy, where the attack took place.
Many roads have been closed off. The hugely popular Istiklal avenue – a pedestrianised area packed with shops, bars and cafes – is lined with many police cars and armed officers.
The coast guard patrols the Bosphorus near the river frontage of the Reina nightclub. There were reports of partygoers jumping into the river to escape the gunman.
Witness Sinem Uyanik has recounted her ordeal. She was inside the club and her husband, Lutfu Uyanik, was wounded in the attack.
“Before I could understand what was happening, my husband fell on top me,” she said outside Istanbul’s Sisli hospital. “I had to lift several bodies from on top of me before I could get out.”
Turkey has been hit by a string of attacks in recent months, blamed on Kurdish militants and Islamic State jihadists.
On December 10, 44 people were killed in a double bombing in Istanbul after a football match hosted by top side Besiktas. That attack, which targeted a police bus, was claimed by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) seen as a radical offshoot of the PKK.
A week later, 14 Turkish soldiers were killed and dozens more wounded in a suicide car bombing blamed on Kurdish militants targeting off-duty conscripts also claimed by the TAK.
In June, 47 people were killed in a triple suicide bombing and gun attack at Istanbul’s Ataturk airport, with authorities blaming Isis.
Another 57 people, 34 of them children, were killed in August in a suicide attack by an Isis-linked bomber at a Kurdish wedding in the southeastern city of Gaziantep.
The US state department has strongly condemned the attack.
Deputy spokesman Mark Toner said: “We stand in solidarity with our Nato ally Turkey in combating the ongoing threat of terrorism. Sadly, this heinous attack is only the latest effort to kill and maim innocent civilians. These attacks only reinforce our determination to work with the government of Turkey to counter the scourge of terrorism.”
US president Barack Obama, who is on holiday Hawaii, has expressed his condolences and offered help to Turkish authorities.
White House spokesman Eric Schultz said in a statement: “The president expressed condolences for the innocent lives lost, directed his team to offer appropriate assistance to the Turkish authorities, as necessary, and keep him updated as warranted.”
Attacker is dead, says government official
Government officials have said there was one attacker and that he has been killed. Our reporter says police can be seen leaving the scene now, and emergency services activity is beginning to subside, which might suggest the immediate threat is over.
Updated
Here is an image from 2015 of the Reina club, where the shooting took place.
Updated
NTV television is reporting the assailant may still be inside the nightclub. This is an unconfirmed report. Armed police in riot gear, backed up by armoured vehicle, have sealed off the area.
As many as 600 people were thought to have been in the club when the attack happened, at about 1.15am, broadcaster CNN Turk has reported. Some people jumped into the waters of the Bosphorus to escape and were being rescued by police.
Istanbul’s governor, Vasip Sahin, told reporters at the scene: “A terrorist with a long-range weapon ... brutally and savagely carried out this incident by firing bullets on innocent people who were there solely to celebrate the New Year and have fun.”
Kareem has spoken to a witness who was inside the club at the time. He described the rush for the exits after someone came in and began firing multiple firearms.
A brother of one of the workers inside Reina is waiting outside in the rain with his wife for any news. His brother lost his phone and they have been unable so far to get in touch.
We hope he is fine. My sister called me with the news that there was an attack and we put on our clothes and rushed here. It was really hard because no taxis wanted to go here.
Police arrived almost instantaneously after the attack began because the police station is just across the road from the club. The Reina is one of Istanbul’s best-known clubs, situated on the Bosphorus right under one of the bridges linking the European and Asian sides.
Footage has emerged that reportedly shows the assailant dressed as Santa. Details however are still far from clear. Earlier reports said there were two attackers.
Witnesses are in the police station giving testimony at the moment so more details should soon emerge. It is just coming up to 4.30am in Istanbul.
Our Middle East reporter, Kareem Shaheen, is at the scene of the attack. Police have sealed off the roads around the site as families arrive, seeking news of loved ones who were working at the club or visiting. There are a lot of tears. One woman rushed here because her nephew works as a bartender at the Reina club. She has finally just reached him on the phone.
Dozens of partygoers shot dead in Turkey nightclub
At least 35 people have been killed in a gun attack at a nightclub in Istanbul, the city’s governor has said. Vasip Sahin said 40 other people were wounded in the assault which took place in the early hours of Sunday during a New Year’s Eve celebration.
Sahin said the incident was a “terror attack” without saying who might have carried it out. The assailant shot a police officer and a civilian as he entered the club in the Ortakoy district before opening fire inside the building, Sahin said.
There are many details that are still unclear, we will bring your further details as they come to light.
