Istanbul police detain 8 suspects over nightclub attack: report
ISTANBUL, Jan 2, 2017 (AFP) - Istanbul anti-terror police on Monday detained eight people suspected of links to the New Year gun attack on a nightclub in the Turkish city that left 39 dead and was claimed by Islamic State (IS) jihadists, a report said.
The Dogan news agency said police were pressing on with
operations after making the first arrests over the attack. The suspected gunman
is still believed to be on the run.
Foreigners majority of victims in Istanbul attack
Foreigners, including
many nationals of Arab countries, made up the majority of the victims in the
New Year shooting rampage at an Istanbul nightclub, officials said.
A total of 39 people were killed in the assault claimed by the
Islamic State group at the exclusive Reina club on the shores of the Bosphorus
and 65 injured, officials said.
According to Turkish press reports, 11 Turks were killed in the
attack alongside 27 foreigners. One victim is still unidentified.
Here is a breakdown of the nationalities of the dead and wounded
known so far given by their respective countries:
- Saudi Arabia -
Riyadh's consulate in Istanbul said that Saudis were among the
victims, but gave no figures. The Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper however quoted a
consulate source as saying that five Saudis including two women had died and 11
other people were injured. Al-Arabiya television also spoke of five dead and
nine wounded while Turkish press reports said seven Saudis were killed.
- Jordan -
A foreign ministry spokeswoman in Amman said two Jordanians were
killed and six injured.
The spokeswoman had on Sunday reported a toll of three dead and
four injured, but revised the figures after Turkish authorities said one of the
three was a Canadian resident in Jordan.
- Iraq -
A spokesman for Iraq's foreign ministry said three Iraqis died.
- Lebanon -
The Lebanese foreign ministry announced the death of three
Lebanese and said another four were wounded. Turkish media said Lebanon has
sent a special delegation to repatriate its dead and wounded.
- Tunisia -
The Tunisian foreign ministry said on its Facebook page that one
Tunisian and one Franco-Tunisian had died. Tunisia's ambassador to France named
the victims as husband and wife Mohamed Azzabi and Senda Nakaa who leave behind
a five-month-old daughter.
- India -
India's external affairs minister said two nationals were among
the dead, naming them as Abis Rizvi, the son of a former MP, and a woman,
Khushi Shah.
- Morocco -
The foreign ministry said that two Moroccans were killed and
four hospitalised.
- Germany -
At least one German -- a man who has dual German-Turkish
nationality - was killed in the attack, the foreign ministry said. A Turkish
resident of Germany was also killed, but it was unclear whether he also held
German citizenship.
Local authorities in Bavaria had said earlier that two residents
- a 28-year-old and another in his mid-20s -- were killed.
- Israel -
The Israeli foreign ministry said an Arab Israeli woman,
18-year-old Lian Nasser, had died.
- Canada -
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said a Canadian woman was among
the dead. He said Canada remains "steadfast in our determination to work
with allies and partners to fight terrorism and hold perpetrators to
account".
- Russia -
Sergei Romanov, vice-consul at the Russian consulate in
Istanbul, said a Russian woman was among the dead.
- Kuwait -
A Kuwaiti man was killed and five others injured, according to
deputy foreign minister Khaled al-Jarallah, quoted by the official KUNA news
agency.
- Belgium -
Belgium's foreign ministry confirmed that a man in his 20s, a
Belgian-Turkish dual national, was killed.
- Libya -
One Libyan was killed and three others hurt, according to the
north African country's foreign ministry.
