The terrorist group claims responsibility for attack in nightclub that killed 39, saying it was in response to Turkey’s military alliance in the international coalition against jihadists in Syria
Relatives of security member Fatih Cakmak, 35, mourn during the funeral ceremony in Istanbul. Pic/AFP
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Istanbul: The Islamic State jihadist group yesterday claimed the shooting rampage inside a glamorous Istanbul nightclub on New Year’s night that killed 39 people, as police hunted the attacker who remains on the run.
In a statement circulated on social media, the jihadist group said one of the “soldiers of the caliphate” had carried out the attack on the Reina nightclub. It accused Turkey, a majority-Muslim country, of being a servant of Christians.
This is the first time IS has issued a clear claim for an attack inside Turkey, despite being blamed for several major strikes in Istanbul and other cities over the last year. The IS statement said the attack was in response to Turkey’s military intervention against the jihadists in war-ravaged Syria.
Meanwhile, anti-terror police made their first arrests over the attack. The Dogan news agency said they have detained eight suspects. But there was no indication of their relationship to the attacker.
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