Islamic State claims responsibility for Turkey club attack

Terror group Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the deadly New Year’s attack that left at least 39 club patrons, including two Indians, and staff dead at an upscale Istanbul nightclub.

In a statement, the terror group said, “In continuation of the blessed operations that Islamic State is conducting against the protector of the cross, Turkey, a heroic soldier of the caliphate struck one of the most famous nightclubs where the Christians celebrate their apostate holiday.”

It adds that “the apostate government of Turkey should know that the blood of Muslims who get killed by Turkey’s planes and artillery will set afire inside their country.”

Turkish authorities continue to hunt for the man they believe is responsible for the bloody attack, which also saw 69 people hospitalised.

The victims hailed from 14 countries, according to Turkey’s semi-official news agency Anadolu, including India, Morocco, Jordan, Canada, Russia, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

The suspected shooter, who stormed the Reina nightclub soon after the clock struck midnight, appears to have evaded the tight security that blanketed Turkey’s largest city over the New Year. Yet, authorities are confident that they will apprehend him soon.

Until now the motive for the killings had been unclear, although Turkish authorities have called the shooting a terrorist attack and suspected Islamic State, which has already been linked to two atrocities in the country last year.

One clubber, a Lebanese woman who gave her name as Hadeel, was quoted as saying that she heard the attacker shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ -- a familiar refrain of jihadis loyal to Islamic State.

She said: “We heard the guy screaming Allahu Akbar... we heard his footsteps crushing the broken glass.

“We got out through the kitchen, there was blood everywhere and bodies.”