Turkish attacks tied to IS group

ISTANBUL: The Islamic State (IS) jihadist group has claimed responsibility for the New Year’s Eve attack on an Istanbul nightclub that killed 39 people. This is the first time that IS has issued a clear and undisputed claim for an attack inside Turkey. But it has in the past claimed individual assassinations of Syrian anti-jihadist activists in the south of the country. Moreover, Turkish officials have accused it of carrying out a string of attacks in Istanbul and elsewhere which were never claimed by the extremist group from the summer of 2015.

2017

January 1: A hail of bullets at the upscale Reina nightclub in Istanbul leaves 39 people dead, including 27 foreign tourists. The gunman opened fire on hundreds of people celebrating New Year’s eve before he managed to escape. The IS said a day later that the attack was carried out by “a soldier of the caliphate”.

2016

November 4: Nine people, including two police officers, die when a car bomb explodes in front of a police station in Diyarbakir, the regional capital of a predominantly Kurdish area in southeastern Turkey. Officials initially blame Kurdish separatists for the attack but a news agency affiliated with IS claims responsibility for the jihadists. Two days later, the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), a splinter group of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) also claims responsibility. August 20: An unclaimed suicide attack against a Kurdish wedding celebration kills 57 people in Gaziantep, southeastern Turkey near the Syrian border. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blames the IS group. June 28: At least 47 people are killed, including foreigners, and over 200 injured in a triple suicide bombing and gun attack at Istanbul’s Ataturk airport. There is no claim of responsibility, but authorities say evidence points to IS.

May 1: Three police officers are killed when a car explodes in Gaziantep. Ankara blames the IS. March 19: Three Israelis and an Iranian are killed and dozens injured in a suicide bombing targeting Istanbul shopping thoroughfare Istiklal Caddesi. Authorities blame IS extremists. January 12: Twelve German tourists are killed and more than a dozen others wounded in a suicide attack by a Syrian bomber in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet district, the ancient tourist heart of the city and home of the Blue Mosque. Turkey’s prime minister said the bomber belonged to IS.

2015

October 10: In the bloodiest attack in Turkey’s history, 103 people are killed and more than 500 wounded in twin suicide bombings targeting a pro-Kurdish peace rally in Ankara. The prime minister says IS was the main suspect. July 20: 34 people are killed in a suicide bombing in the predominantly Kurdish town of Suruc near the border with Syria. Turkish officials blame IS.—AFP