Turkish police continue their hunt for the killer of 39 people in a New Year's ISIL nightclub attack in Istanbul and state of emergency to be extended.
ADVERTISEMENTThe manhunt continues in Turkey for the Istanbul nightclub killer, with an overnight police raid on a house that yielded nothing, and new findings emerging from the investigation.
Fourteen arrest have been made so far.
All the 180 bullets fired at the New Year massacre came from one weapon, an AK 47, and all 39 victims were shot at close range. All but one has now been identified. Another 65 people were wounded, four seriously.
ISIL claimed responsibility for the attack, but it is not known if the house raid was following an ISIL lead. New images have been released of the gunman. Police say they believe he is either an Uzbek or Kyrgyz.
A silent march of local business owners was held in the city for the victims. Twenty-five of the Reina nightclub victims were foreign and the country’s already-depressed tourist industry is likely to suffer another blow.
The prime minister says Turkey’s State of Emergency, in place since July 15, will be extended for “as long as needed”, with an initial extension of three months, but ISIL has indicated Turkey is now its number one terror target. Ankara cannot afford to drop its guard.