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| Istanbul nightclub attack: Isis claim responsibility for New Year's Eve shooting | Istanbul nightclub attack: Isis claim responsibility for New Year's Eve shooting |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Isis has claimed responsibility for the nightclub attack in Istanbul that killed at least 39 people. | |
| The extremist militant group has released a statement after a gunman stormed the popular Reina nightclub on the banks of the Bosphorus. | |
| A statement, reported by Isis-linked Aamaq News Agency, reads: "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 also said the man opened fire with an automatic rifle, believed to be a kalashnikov, in "revenge for God's religion and in response to the orders" of its so-called leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. | |
| Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already said the country, which has lost hundreds of citizens to terrorism this year, will "fight to the end against terror". | |
| The manhunt for the killer, who is believed to have fired up to 180 bullets in the 700-capacity venue, continues. | |
| The onslaught, which murdered Saudi Arabians, Moroccans, Lebonese, and Libyans, according to a Turkish government minister, lasted approximately seven minutes. | |
| Mr Erdogan earlier said: "As a nation, we will fight to the end against not just the armed attacks of terror groups and the forces behind them, but also against their economic, political and social attacks. | |
| "They are trying to create chaos, demoralise our people, and destabilise our country with abominable attacks that target civilians. | |
| "We will retain our cool-headedness as a nation, standing more closely together, and we will never give ground to such dirty games." | |
| At least 69 people were being treated in hospital and four were said to be in a serious condition. | |
| Security in Turkish cities had been heightened during the run-up to the New Year and 17,000 police officers, some reportedly camouflaged as Santa Claus, were deployed. | |
| Twin bombings outside the Besiktas football stadium last month, an attack claimed by Kurdish militants, killed 38 people. |