President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday said Turkey will continue to fight against terrorism and its backers “till the end.”
Erdogan has issued a written message following the armed terror attack at an Istanbul nightclub early Sunday, which killed at least 39 people including a police officer and injured 69 others.
President Erdogan said the “vicious attack” in Istanbul clearly showed that terror does not discriminate but “aims to hurt and kill.”
Turkey is firm on doing whatever it takes to protect its citizens’ safety and peace in the region…Turkey will stand together and not give passage to dirty games of terrorists.
The president added that those who attack people’s peace aim to “create chaos.”
“I offer my condolences to our citizens’, to our foreign guests’ and to our security officer’s families and wish a speedy recovery to those injured,” Erdogan said. “We are dedicated to eradicate attacks and threats to our country.”
The attack comes three weeks after twin bombings in Istanbul killed at least 45 people, most of whom were police officers.
Read: US denies having intelligence on Istanbul club attack
Carnations and candles are placed at site to pay tribute to victims of Istanbul night club terror attack in Istanbul, Turkey on January 01, 2017 [Arif Hüdaverdi Yaman / Anadolu Agency]
Carnations and candles are placed at site to pay tribute to victims of Istanbul night club terror attack in Istanbul, Turkey on January 01, 2017 [Arif Hüdaverdi Yaman / Anadolu Agency]
Carnations and candles are placed at site to pay tribute to victims of Istanbul night club terror attack in Istanbul, Turkey on January 01, 2017 [Arif Hüdaverdi Yaman / Anadolu Agency]
A woman leaves a bouquet of carnation at site to pay tribute to victims of Istanbul night club terror attack in Istanbul, Turkey on January 01, 2017 [Arif Hüdaverdi Yaman / Anadolu Agency]
Carnations and candles are placed at site to pay tribute to victims of Istanbul night club terror attack in Istanbul, Turkey on January 01, 2017 [Arif Hüdaverdi Yaman / Anadolu Agency]
Relatives of Istanbul nightclub terror attack victim Ayhan Arik attend his funeral ceremony on January 01, 2017 in Istanbul, Turkey [Berk Özkan / Anadolu Agency]
Relatives of Istanbul nightclub terror attack victim Ayhan Arik attend his funeral ceremony on January 01, 2017 in Istanbul, Turkey [Berk Özkan / Anadolu Agency]
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim (R) visits the Istanbul nightclub terror attack victims on January 01, 2017 in Istanbul, Turkey [Ali Balıkçı / Anadolu Agency]
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim speaks to media after visiting Istanbul nightclub terror attack victims on January 01, 2017 in Istanbul, Turkey [Metin Pala / Anadolu Agency]
Relatives of the victims wait in front of local forensic medicine institution where the bodies of the armed terror attack victims has been brought, on January 01, 2017 in Istanbul, Turkey [İslam Yakut / Anadolu Agency]
Turkish Minister of Interior, Suleyman Soylu (3rd L) speaks to media as Turkish Minister of Health, Recep Akdag (R) stands next to him in front of the Sisli Etfal Hospital where some of the wounded victims hospitalized after an armed terror attack staged at a nightclub, on January 01, 2017 in Istanbul, Turkey [Yasin Aras / Anadolu Agency]