Istanbul nightclub attack: Sixteen foreigners among 39 killed, attacker still at large

Of the 39 people killed in Istanbul nightclub attack on New Year's Day, 16 were foreign nationals, said Turkish Interior minister Süleyman Soylu.

Sixty-nine others have also been injured after a gunman reportedly dressed as Father Christmas entered and opened fire at the crowd in Reina nightclub, reports the Guardian.

The Turkish Minister said that the gunman was still on the run, contrary to earlier statements by authorities that the gunman had been killed.

The city's governor, Vasip Sahin, said the attacker, armed with a long-barrelled weapon, killed a policeman and a civilian outside the Reina club at about 1.45am before moving inside.

Sahin described it as a "terror attack" but gave no further details. There have not yet been any claims of responsibility.

It is thought up to 600 people were inside the club, an exclusive hotspot popular with tourists and local residents that sits on the bank of the eastern side of the Bosphorus.

Security has been increased across the city following the attack in the district of Ortakoy. The US embassy has told its citizens to avoid the area and urged them to contact relatives to let them know they are safe.

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