28 foreigners killed in New Year attack in Istanbul

Twenty-eight foreigners from nine countries are among the 39 people killed in a terror attack early Sunday morning on a popular night club in Istanbul, Turkish media said.

NTV said 35 dead bodies have been identified so far, with 20 confirmed to be from foreign countries, including Saudi Arabia (7), Iraq (4), India (2), Tunisia (2), Syria (1), Canada (1), Israel (1), Lebanon (1) and Kuwait (1).

Of the 11 Turks killed in the attack, one was of Belgian origin, NTV said.

A gunman stormed into a high-end night club known as Reina in the district of Besiktas, and shot at hundreds of people gathering there for New Year celebrations, killing 39 people and injuring 69 others, with four in critical condition, according to the Turkish authorities.

The police have launched a manhunt for the militant who is on the run after slipping out of the nightclub in chaos.

source: Xinhua