borkena
January 1,2017
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Turkey started new year as a victim of a deadly terrorist attack when a popular night club at Istanbul turned out be a tragic death scene in the first hours of the year 2017. One gunmen reportedly entered Reina night club disguised with as Santa man and opened fire with AK 47 at people who were inside the night club for the new year festivities.
news.com.au cited an eyewitness who was at the scene as saying “A terrorist with a long-range weapon… brutally and savagely carried out this incident by firing bullets at innocent people who were there solely to celebrate the New Year and have fun.”
At least 35 people are killed and 40 others injured in the attack. It was carried out around 1:30 a.m local time. There were as many as 600 people inside the night club, according to an eye witness cited by Hurriyet. The night club is frequented by celebrities,artists and football stars, added Hurriyet report.
RT report seem to suggest that there was at least one other terrorist inside the night club.
The gunman first killed a policeman who was at the entrance of the night club before carrying out a killing spree inside the night club, indicates RT report.
The attack does not appear to be totally unexpected. Mehmet Koçarslan, the person who owns the nightclub, was warned about possible attack and it was US intelligence services who warned. The owner says that security arrangement was put in place.
“US intelligence warned about such an attack about one week or 10 days ago – and measures have been taken, including [on] the sea front. And look what has happened,” RT quoted Koçarslan citing Hurriyet.
Twenty five thousand police officers were reportedly deployed in Istanbul on the eve of the New Year, added the report by Hurriyet.
Turkey suffered numerous terrorist attacks in the year 2016. On December 20, Russian Ambassador to Tureky was assassinated by a former member of Turkish police force.