A gunman was on the run last night after killing 39 revellers and injuring 69 others at an exclusive Istanbul nightclub on New Year's Eve. The unnamed man is described as being from Afghanistan, Chechnya or Uyghur in western China, a region that is unofficially called East Turkestan by separatists among the majority Muslim population there.
Turkish intelligence agencies reportedly believe that the suspect is a member of the East Turkestan branch of ISIS but still do not know his name or precise nationality. Mother-of-one Hatice Koc'un (pictured inset and left) was among those murdered during the attack. She was working at the Reina nightclub on the night of the attack, as Turkey requires a female guard to be present to search female guests. Police have launched a major manhunt for the attacker (pictured, in CCTV right), who Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim revealed left
his weapon inside the venue and escaped by 'taking advantage of the chaos' that ensued. He added that there was no truth to reports that the attacker wore a Santa Claus hat.
The footage emerged as the first victims of the massacre were named, including a female security guard and an Israeli Arab tourist.
The gunman is seen casually strolling into the nightclub holding the weapon before carrying out the killing spree while reportedly shouting 'Allahu Akbar'.
He later escaped in the chaos that ensued, forcing Turkish police to launch a major manhunt.
Fifteen of the dead are believed to be foreign nationals, including one Israeli woman and people from Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Lebanon and Libya. Others include a Turkish-Belgian dual citizen and a Franco-Tunisian woman.
The 27-year-old was working at the Reina nightclub on the night of the attack
A further 69 people are thought to have been wounded in the attack, which happened in the early hours of this morning.
Among the victims was a 27-year-old female private security guard from northeast Turkey.
Mother-of-one Hatice Koc'un was working at the Reina nightclub on the night of the attack as Turkish law requires a woman guard to be present to search female clubbers.
Her family identified her body at the morgue today, Turkish media reported.
The day before the attack, Koc'un, whose daughter is three years old, shared pictures of herself on social media wearing sunglasses and kissing the Turkish flag.
Meanwhile a 19-year-old Israeli woman has also been named as among the dead.
Leanne Nasser was on holiday with three female friends, all from the Arab-majority village of Tira in northern Israel.
One of her friends was also injured, while the other two were traumatised but physically unharmed, Israeli officials told MailOnline.
Leanne Nasser was on holiday with three female friends, all from the Arab-majority village of Tira in northern Israel, when she was killed
Four other Israeli-Arab women were also caught up in the attack, an Israeli government source told MailOnline.
They were visiting Turkey to celebrate the New Year despite security concerns.
'Their friends told them not to come because they thought it was too dangerous,' said Shira Ben Zion, Israel's deputy consul in Istanbul.
'They are very shocked and confused and they just want to get back home.'
Israeli officials are providing the women with consular support and helping them return to Israel, she added.
Also gunned down was police officer Burak Yildiz, who had been guarding the front of the upmarket riverside club.
The 21-year-old had reportedly been in the job for 12 months when he was shot dead after the building was stormed.
Victim Fatih Çakmak was also a policeman and on duty at the nightclub during the New Year celebrations.
He has previously escaped an attack while working at a match between Beşiktaş and Bursaspor last month when a car bomb exploded.
Also gunned down was police officer Burak Yildiz, who had been guarding the front of the upmarket riverside club
DailyMail
No comments:
Post a Comment