Turkey hunts for gunman after New Year’s Day attack

TIL Desk/World/Istanbul-At least 39 clubgoers were killed and nearly 70 were hospitalised after the suspect entered the Reina nightclub early Sunday and started shooting. The victims hailed from 14 countries, according to Turkey’s semi-official news agency. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said he believes the attacker will be found soon.

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said the attack, which began with a spray of gunfire at around 1 am, was carried out by a single assailant, who has not been identified. Soylu said the gunman arrived with a gun concealed beneath an overcoat, but subsequently left the venue wearing a different garment.

World leaders, including Pope Francis, condemned the shooting. US officials also called it a terrorist attack, making it the first of 2017.Russian President Vladimir Putin said it was “hard to imagine a crime more cynical than the killing of civilians during a New Year’s celebration”. German Chancellor Angela Merkel denounced “an inhumane, sneaky attack on people who wanted to celebrate”.