ISTANBUL: The Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) has claimed the responsibility for the New Year’s Eve nightclub shooting in Istanbul that killed 39 people.
International terror group [IS] issued a statement calling the gunman its “soldier,” who attacked Christians for celebrating a holiday the jihadist terrorists deem “apostate.”
On the other hand, Turkish police launched a massive manhunt Sunday for a gunman who killed 39 people, including several foreigners, in a rampage at an upmarket nightclub in Istanbul where revellers were celebrating New Year.
After the latest in a string of deadly attacks to hit the country, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the carnage sought to sow chaos, but vowed Turkey would never bow to the threat.
The assailant shot dead a policeman and a civilian at the club entrance and then turned his gun on partygoers inside where up to 700 people were ringing in the New Year.
NTV broadcaster said the gunman fired between 120 and 180 rounds in the seven-minute attack, during which many revellers threw themselves into the freezing waters of the Bosphorus to escape death.
