New York - Over 35 people were killed in an attack on a high end nightclub located in the Besiktas neighborhood of Istanbul, according to Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu.
New York – Over 35 people were killed in an attack on a high end nightclub located in the Besiktas neighborhood of Istanbul, according to Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu.
A police officer was also among the victims, according to Istanbul’s governor, Vasip Sahin stated, who said it was a “terrorist attack.”
According to Istanbul’s governor, the attack was carried out by three people.
“Once person first kills the police officer, and then a civilian,” the governor said. Inside he rained bullets brutally, mercilessly over innocent people who were there just to celebrate the new year and have fun,” he added.
The attack occurred as people were celebrating New Year. There were at least 600 inside the nightclub when attackers opened fire, Turkish officials said.
The attack, which took place in the Reina nightclub, in the Ortakoy area at about 01:30 local time (23:30 GMT) left at least other 40 people injured.
The authors of the attack are still on the run, according to the same source. No organization has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.
The attack has occurred less than two weeks after off-duty Turkish policeman Mevlut Mert Altintas assassinated Russian ambassador Andrei Karlov on December 19.
